A former aide to ex-Massachusetts Gov. William Weld claims his 6-year administration was rife with heavy drinking and sexual exploits.

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Robert Byrnes, a one-time Boston bicycle messenger who became Weld's chief speechwriter, made the revelations to the New York Post, saying many senior Weld appointees cashed in their "hedonistic capital" for sexual trysts with partners who were drawn to the "celebrity" of working for the "strangely sexy" governor.

Byrnes, who called Weld "a brilliant guy," told of picking up two Weld-admiring Radcliffe sophomores at a bar, saying that after several hours of drinking they quickly transferred "their idolatry onto me."

"Rather than go back to my tiny apartment, we headed into the State House, drank Jack Daniel's and rolled naked about the oval Cabinet meeting table," Byrnes said.

Byrnes said Weld wasn't aware of what had happened at the time and would not have approved of his actions.

Weld is seeking the Republican nomination to run for New York governor.