Metropolis Councilors Erin Murphy (at massive) and Ed Flynn (South Boston, South Finish, Downtown, Chinatown) have filed a decision demanding the council as a complete do one thing in regards to the now admitted felon who nonetheless represents District 7 – like make her give up now that she’s pleaded responsible to extorting cash from the relative she placed on town payroll.
Besides the council cannot.
Though Tania Fernandes Anderson has mentioned she is going to resign, she’s but to say when. Council President Ruthzee Louijeune acquired a proper authorized opinion from metropolis Company Counsel Adam Cedarbaum that says essentially the most the council can do is tut-tut as loudly as attainable after which Louijeune can strip her of all her committee assignments (like Ed Flynn did when he was council president after which Councilor Ricardo Arroyo was accused – however by no means tried, not to mention convicted – of alleged heinous acts), however that is it, due to a Supreme Judicial Courtroom ruling within the case of a earlier District 7 councilor, Chuck Turner.
In Turner’s case, the state’s highest courtroom mentioned any individual would not actually turn out to be a convicted felon the council might vote to expel till they have been sentenced, and Fernandes Anderson’s sentencing is not till July 29.
In his memo, Cedarbaum wrote:
As within the Turner case, the related statutes and case legislation … don’t allow the Metropolis Council to take away Councilor Fernandes Anderson from the Council previous to her being sentenced to jail, which, as of the date of this memorandum, has not occurred. Nevertheless, the Council could take different administrative motion, resembling removing from committees as occurred with out difficulty within the Turner case.
Individually, the truth that Fernandes Anderson didn’t resign by Could 8 means town now not has to ask the state Legislature to let it waive a requirement that it maintain a particular election to switch her – simply in time for the common September preliminary to switch her.
Nevertheless, Louijeune and Councilor Liz Breadon (Allston/Brighton) will ask councilors tomorrow to approve a home-rule petition to let the winner of the November basic election in District 7 be sworn in instantly quite than having to attend till the conventional Jan. 1 swearing-in date – just like the way in which Michelle Wu turned mayor in 2021 instantly after the election.
All of this can come up on the council’s common Wednesday assembly, which begins at midday.
