Former state Rep. Harold “Hank” Naughton is in line for a new job in the public sector.
Gov. Charlie Baker added to a flurry of lame-duck appointments Monday, nominating Naughton to serve as District Court associate justice to succeed Judge Margaret Guzman, who has been tapped for a federal post.
Naughton would be eligible to be sworn in once Guzman is appointed as a federal district court judge so long as the Governor’s Council confirms his nomination, according to Baker’s office.
“Attorney Naughton brings years of public service and dedication to the bench and will continue to serve the people of the Commonwealth well in this role,” Baker said in a statement. “I am proud to submit his nomination to the Governor’s Council.”
Naughton served 13 terms in the House before opting not to seek reelection in 2020. At the time, he said he accepted a job with New York law firm Napoli Shkolnik PLLC that allowed him to work from home.
“Although I won’t say I’m stepping away from public service forever, this is the best decision for my family and I at this time,” Naughton said in April 2020 of his decision not to run for re-election.
Naughton’s application for a judgeship is dated November 2019, more than four months before the Clinton Democrat announced he would retire from the House, according to a copy of the application shared by a council source.
Guzman’s federal nomination is now on the U.S. Senate’s Executive Calendar following a Dec. 1 favorable report from the Committee on the Judiciary.
