Former Dem Massachusetts Governor Joins Firm Mitt Romney Founded

04.14.2015 | Surge Wire |

Former Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is joining the global investment firm founded by his predecessor Mitt Romney.

Patrick will become one of Bain Capital’s managing directors, reported The Boston Globe, which also noted he will be the first African-American to do so. (RELATED: Obama Cabinet Prospect’s Career Began With Romney At Bain)

In 2012, Deval slammed Romney’s tenure as governor in a speech at the Democratic National Convention, blaming him for leaving the state number 47 in job creation, full of crumbling roads and bridges, and with low business morale.

“He’s a fine fellow and a great salesman,” he said. “But as governor he was more interested in having the job than doing it.”

The announcement ends speculation about Patrick’s next move following two terms as governor, which left the state and his Republican successor Charlie Baker with a mid-year budget gap of more than $760 million. (RELATED: Deval Patrick Is America’s Most Unpopular Governor)

Democrats brutalized Romney during his 2012 presidential campaign for his involvement in the firm, which invests in hundreds of companies, including AMC theaters, Burger King and Dunkin Donuts. It is now worth $80 billion. The Obama campaign and other opponents of Romney used his experience at Bain to try to paint him as an out of touch, greedy capitalist.

Patrick considered starting his own venture capitalist firm or running a corporation, or academia, before deciding to take a position at Bain, he told The Boston Globe in an interview at Bain’s offices. “This is a chance to have real meaning and mission in my work [after public service],” he said. (RELATED: Romney’s Bain Saved Site Of Obama’s First Kiss)

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