In 1989, The Boston Globe, reported that after MacLean played a pivotal role in the passage of a bill that allowed PEBSCO Nationwide Retirements Investments to sell its services to local governments in Massachusetts. MacLean received $1 million in commissions from PEBSCO. In 1990, federal prosecutors convened a grand jury to look into MacLean's dealings with PEBSCO, but due to a lack of witnesses, the case was dropped in 1991.
