Black, Hispanic groups sue Justice Department for not looking into how Boston hires contractors and consultants

Three groups that charge the way the city of Boston hires companies for city business discriminates against minority-owned firms today sued the Department of Justice after, they say, it refused to investigate their complaint.

In their suit, filed in US District Court in Boston, the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, the Greater Boston Latino Network and Amplify Latinx say they filed an administrative complaint with the Justice Department after a city-funded study in 2020 found that less than 1% of large city contracts went to Black-owned businesses over a five-year period.

The three groups charge this was proof of discrimination, in a city that is now minority majority, but that the Justice Department declined to investigate, claiming it had no jurisdiction.

In their suit, though, the groups argue that the Justice Department provides funds to Boston for various programs and that as part of its acceptance, the city agrees to be bound by the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which they say means Justice does have the right to look into whether Boston's spending complies with the law.

Defendants’ Jurisdictional Decision is incorrect as a matter of law. DOJ is bound by its statutory mandate to enforce civil compliance by entities that receive federal funding from the agency, such as the City of Boston.

The suit asks a judge to declare the Justice Department decision a violation of the federal Administrative Procedure Act and the civil-rights act and asks a judge to issue an injunction to force Justice to investigate the complaint.