Wu, other councilors call on Fernandes Anderson to resign

MassLive.com reports Mayor Wu wasted little time this morning calling on District 7 (Roxbury) City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson to resign.

Wu said the councilor, arrested early this morning at her home, has a presumption of innocence, but that her constituents also have a right to representation by somebody who doesn't have federal kickback charges hanging over their heads.

City Councilor Sharon Durkan in neighboring District 8 (Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Mission Hill, Fenway) also said Fernandes Anderson should quit now.

Public service is a privilege. The people of Boston deserve leaders who act transparently, ethically, and in the best interests of the community. The allegations against Councilor Fernandes Anderson undermine the confidence of residents and tarnish the reputation of our City Council. While Councilor Fernandes Anderson is entitled to a fair legal process, the severity of these charges makes it clear she cannot effectively serve the people of Boston.

Durkan added that any of Fernandes Anderson's constituents in East Fenway should feel comfortable contacting Durkan's office for their "constituent needs.

District 2 (South Boston, South End, Downtown, Chinatown) Councilor Ed Flynn also said Fernandes Anderson should resign, and added:

Today, I will file an order for a hearing to establish an Ethics Committee at the Boston City Council. The allegations against Councilor Fernandes Anderson are very troubling and I believe that she should resign. This unfortunately follows a series of legal and ethical lapses by members at the Boston City Council over the last several years, which have both reflected poorly on the City and distracted us from doing the people’s business. It is critical that elected officials, who have been placed in positions of public trust, work to provide positive and ethical leadership.

The last time a District 7 councilor was arrested on federal charges was in 2008, when Chuck Turner was charged with accepting a $1,000 bribe.

Turner refused to resign even after he was convicted and the council, including then Councilor Ayanna Pressley, who first professed her admiration for him, voted to expel him. Only Councilor Charles Yancey (Dorchester) voted with Turner against expulsion.

The Supreme Judicial Court later ruled that the council should not have held the vote until after Turner was sentenced.