Chuck Turner sues to get his job back

By adamg on Fri, 12/31/2010 - 10:01am

Turner As promised/threatened, convicted ex-city Councilor Chuck Turner has filed a federal lawsuit demanding he be allowed back into the City Council chambers.

In his suit, co-filed with several constituents yesterday in US District Court in Boston, Turner charges the council violated his and their Constitutional rights against punishments enacted after the fact - in Turner's case, a council rule allowing for ousters that was passed after his indictment - and that the move leaves all of District 7 without an elected representative. Somewhat ironically for a man who once proposed gutting the First Amendment, Turner also charges the council violated his First Amendment rights.

Turner also alleges his ouster violates state law, because that only calls for an official's ouster if he's been sent to prison. Turner is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 25.

If Judge Mark Wolf agrees with Turner, he would not only get his $85,000-a-year job back, the city would have to call off the Feb. 15 and March 15 elections to replace him. However, if Judge Douglas Woodlock, who presided over Turner's criminal trial, sends him off to a federal penitentiary, that state law would take effect.

The council voted 11-to-Yancey on Dec. 1 to eject Turner following his conviction in federal court on one count of extortion and three of perjury.

Turner's complete complaint

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Comments

Hilarious reading..if he wasn't serious.

By Brian Riccio
Fri, 12/31/2010 - 10:42am

I especially like this part;

"the Plaintiff has suffered humiliation, emotional distress, loss of past, present and future income, his employment, and his ability to advocate as an elected official on behalf of his constituents."

Whew! Let's see, the loss of future income clearly comes from his not being able to take bribes anymore, the humiliation comes from getting caught taking a penny ante bribe, and the best part is that he saves the advocating for his constituents for last, because that just seems to sum it all up, no?

Chuck seems to be scared shitless about going to jail, and who can blame him? Going from being Boston's version of Clay Davis from "The Wire" to being just another con on the tier tends to teach one a little humility.

Screw all that legal crap!

By Chris Tucker
Fri, 12/31/2010 - 10:58am

All of Boston wants, no, NEEDS to know!

Did Chuck shovel out his sidewalk after the blizzard?

The Darling Who Cried Wolf

By massmarrier
Fri, 12/31/2010 - 12:25pm

I contend that Chuck and Chester shall regret pitching this to Chief Judge Wolf. http://bit.ly/h7asNx

I hope . . .

By Chris Dowd
Fri, 12/31/2010 - 1:01pm

. . . he does get his seat back.

So...

By Kaz
Fri, 12/31/2010 - 2:39pm

Do I understand that by filing this he's basically hoped to force Woodlock's hand into sending him to prison in order to make his lawsuit a moot point?

Depends on whether or not it has any merit, doesn't it?

By Dan Farnkoff
Fri, 12/31/2010 - 3:02pm

If Wolf says that the Council was justified, then that's that, regardless of whether he goes to prison. I'm interested in the ex post facto aspect, so I'd like to see a decision either way.

Need to go down to Trader Joes

By raym02118
Sat, 01/01/2011 - 9:36am

...and pick up some Thousand Buck Chuck.

Chuck Turner; Bold, Bald & Bribed

Journalists!... how to cover Boston City Council.

By theszak
Sat, 01/01/2011 - 8:34pm

What really needs to be looked at about Boston City Council is the violating of the spirit of open government principles, violating FOI freedom of information public records principles, violating sunshine open public meetings principles. The lack of compliance with the spirit of transparency goes to the deflecting of public enquiries by the Council Staff Director, the Council City Stenographer, the Council City Messenger, the City Clerk and Assistant City Clerk. Their self interest outweighs the duty to maintain public access to public documents. Journalists ingratiated to officials in order to do some amount of coverage, have been failing to get the story behind the story.

Oh! My! God!

By eeka
Sat, 01/01/2011 - 9:45pm

He's moved to using exclamation points.

Zak, they hate Democracy

By Anonymous
Sat, 01/01/2011 - 11:28pm

and a free press.

The mayor's nephew also a city councilor thinks the best way to get compliance with city statutes is to inflict pain where it hurts. Yep, Rob Consalvo said that in his op-ed last week published in Beacon Hill Patch. "where it hurts" This guy doesn't belong in government.

Boston City Council Staff Director
Council City Messenger
Council City Stenographer
Boston City Clerk
Assistant City Clerk

How to research Boston City Council violations

By theszak
Sun, 01/02/2011 - 1:59am

How to research Boston City Council violations
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/massachusetts/mad...