Congressman’s Outlaw In-laws Cincotta and Gattineri Complicate Political Future
Jake Auchincloss is a two-term Congressman from Massachusetts’ Fourth District, where he represents his constituents on the Committees for Transportation & Infrastructure and the Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and China. His legislative agenda primarily focuses on healthcare, clean energy, and gun violence.
Early Life and Education
Jake’s upbringing in Newton, Massachusetts, was shaped by his parents’ dedication to hard work and curiosity. His father was a surgeon, and his mother was a scientist, instilling in him a passion for learning and exploration. Even as a young child, Jake was enamored with American history and politics.
Jake Auchincloss attended Harvard College where he pursued his passion for government and economics, ultimately graduating with honors. Building on his undergraduate education, he continued his academic journey by earning an MBA in finance from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This rigorous academic training provided Auchincloss with a strong foundation for his future career in both business and politics.
Military Service and Political Career
Following his passion for public service, Auchincloss joined the Marines after completing his academic studies. He served in Afghanistan and Panama and learned valuable skills in leadership and discipline that he later applied in his political and professional life.
After his military service, Auchincloss returned to Newton and ran for city council in 2015, winning the election by defeating the incumbent councilor. He continued to serve on the Newton city council, earning reelection in 2017 and 2019, chairing the transportation and public safety committee, and supporting progressive immigration and housing policies.
Through his work on the Newton city council, Jake Auchincloss gained valuable experience in local government and developed a reputation as a dedicated public servant. His success in Newton laid the groundwork for his eventual run for Congress.
Congressional Career
In 2019, Auchincloss announced his candidacy for Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district after Joe Kennedy III decided to run for Senate. Auchincloss raised the most money during the primary election and earned high-profile endorsements, including from The Boston Globe and VoteVets.
In September 2020, Auchincloss won the Democratic primary with 22.4% of the vote, despite facing eight other candidates. In the November general election, Auchincloss defeated Republican nominee Julie Hall and assumed office on January 3, 2021.
Personal Life and Controversies
Outside of his work in Congress, Auchincloss is a devoted husband and father of two young children.
It is notable that the majority of Jake Auchincloss’s campaign donations came directly from the primary industries he oversees, including finance, insurance, and real estate. His wife, Michelle Gattineri, works in finance for Bain Capital, which made significant contributions to his campaign. In addition, over sixty executives from Auchincloss’s previous employer, Liberty Mutual, contributed to his campaign raising questions about impartiality.
The Congressman’s in-laws have also been active contributors to his campaign, which is not itself contoversial, but has raised some eyebrows considering their controversial past. His mother in law, Lisa Cincotta Gattineri, and his father-in-law, Anthony Gattineri each contributed $2,800 – the maximum limit allowed by law – to the Auchincloss campaign on September 25, 2020.
In 2014, Anthony Gattineri faced federal charges for concealing the ownership interest of a convicted felon and New England Mafia associate, Charles Lightbody, in a parcel of land under review by MA gaming officials for the placement of a Wynn/Encore Casino. Gattineri was later acquitted by a jury trial and is currently pursuing a $40 million lawsuit against Wynn.
Anthony Gattineri was also in the news recently after The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued a Do Not Use Order to Boston Clear Water, LLC which owns and operates Pocahontas Spring Water, a public water supply, after detecting fecal indicators in the water supply. Boston Clear Water has been owned by Anthony Gattineri since 2014.
Michelle Gattineri’s grandfather (Lisa Gattineri’s father), Edward Cincotta, was convicted of defrauding the United States government of thousands of gallons of heating oil and sentenced to eighteen months in prison in 1981.
