DiMasi and Patrick had ‘come-to-Jesus’ conversation

In order to save a faltering political relationship that had developed during the governor's first year in office, Gov. Deval Patrick and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi had two meetings, including one private dinner in the North End, to resolve their differences and move forward, the Boston Globe reports.

Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton)"We had a great, quiet, come-to-Jesus kind of conversation with each other," Patrick (D-Milton) told the Globe.

That dinner, along with a handwritten note of apology from Patrick, repaired the relationship between the executive office and the legislature, the Globe writes, allowing Patrick to push his priorities through the legislature with DiMasi's cooperation. Patrick's letter remains under a blotter on DiMasi's (D-Boston) desk.

In particular, Patrick and DiMasi reconciled their public feud over casinos. "We were both feeling like there was some blood on the floor after the casino vote," Patrick said.

Like Patrick, DiMasi described the meeting as something of a spiritual experience.

"We got together and bared our souls," DiMasi told the Globe. "We agreed to apologize for some for things both of us said, and we agreed to put the past behind us. We decided to getHouse Speaker Salvatore DiMasi (D-Boston) back to work together, to get back to being friends."

The Globe also reported that following the feud over casinos, it was DiMasi that first reached out to Patrick. First, the two shared a drink at the Seaport Hotel last April. Patrick sent DiMasi the letter the following day. The dinner followed and now Patrick and DiMasi speak on a nearly daily basis.

The Globe report did not note, however, any new developments between the two pols on casinos.