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One question unanswered in Sal DiMasi's sudden departure is, why now? Why, so soon after starting the new session, did DiMasi feel the need to get out in such a rush?

The answer might be, in part, to keep confidential any ways that he might cash in after leaving office.

Elected officials must file a personal disclosure -- a Statement of Financial Interests (SFI), in state parlance -- for any calendar year in which he or she served for 30 or more days. That SFI must disclose interests for the entire year -- even the portions when the official was not actually in office, according to a spokesperson for the State Ethics Commission.