City Councilor Chuck Turner Arrested by FBI; Released on Bail - Plus Updates

BOSTON/Government Center - According to multiple news reports Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner was arrested this morning at City Hall by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in an apparent widening of the political corruption probe that snared State Senator Dianne Wilkerson last month. The Boston Globe and WBZ Radio and TV reported that Turner would be arraigned this morning in US District Court in Worcester before Judge Timothy Hillman who is based in Worcester and also handling the Wilkerson case. The Globe reported that a "law enforcement source" told the paper that Turner "is expected to be charged with extortion and lying to FBI agents in an undercover sting involving a liquor license for the nightclub Dejavu." Wilkerson has been charged with multiple counts of accepting bribes in the case. Apparently Turner has known for some time that he was being investigated by the FBI. The District 7 Councilor recently told the http://www.jamaicaplaingazette.com/node/3129">Jamaica Plain Gazette that an agent wearing a hidden camera visited his office in City Hall in 2007 and spoke with and videotaped his assistant. Turner also told the Gazette the FBI issued a subpoena for records he has which the agency thinks are related to the Wilkerson case. He said agents interviewed him in his City Hall office on the day Wilkerson was arrested. The FBI released a screen shot from a video published on Boston.com this morning allegedly showing Turner accepting something that could be a wad of money. Turner has denied accepting bribes to help clubs receive liquor licenses or to smooth the way for developers to build on city-owned parcels of land in his district. The Jamaica Plain Gazette quoted Turner as saying: "I know they don't have any evidence I was taking bribes." Turner is well known - loved by some hated by others - for his agressive public stands on U.S. foreign policy and abuses of working people by corporations. He is a sought after speaker at anti-war rallies and demonstrations on behalf of immigrant and labor rights. He has attended several eviction blockades in his Roxbury district. Open Media Boston will post updates to this story as more information becomes available. UPDATE 2:00 p.m. Open Media Boston contacted several city councilors today whose politics and policy positions often coincide with Councilor Turner's. At Large City Councilor Sam Yoon issued the following statement: "I'm shocked and saddened by the news today. We deserve government that's beyond reproach - at every level. We need reform and transparency in City Hall at the State House and in Washington. "These allegations are especially tragic because I have known Chuck as a champion for his community through his work on City Council and long before he was elected. Today's news is troubling – for me for his constituents who have contacted my office and for the entire city of Boston." A staffer in Charles Yancey's office said the District 4 Councilor had "no comment." District 8 (and presumptive incoming council president) Michael Ross' office referred all questions to current President and District 3 Councilor Maureen Feeney who said in a statement issued from her office: “I am deeply saddened by the news this morning. These charges are disturbing and shake an already fragile public trust in elected leaders. If these charges prove true I will not let the actions of one member cast a dark cloud over this entire body. "Today I temporarily removed Councilor Turner from all of his committee assignments pending further investigation including his chairmanship of the committees on Education and Human Rights." In her statement Feeney said she would schedule "...a special meeting of the Boston City Council on Monday [Nov. 24th] at 3:00 p.m. to discuss further council action " and added "I remain outraged at the recent disgrace brought to public service. The public is right to expect more from its elected leaders. We must - and we will - work hard to restore their confidence.” UPDATE 5:00 p.m. Following his arraignment this afternoon and release on $50 000 bond according to news reports Turner told supporters waiting for him in the lobby of the federal district courthouse in Worcester that "I am absolutely positive that a jury of my peers will come to the conclusion that I am innocent." UPDATE 11/22/08 2:28 a.m. Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner's post-arraignment statement Worcester Transcribed from the uncut WCVB-TV Channel 5 video by Freeman Z Source Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMR_8Dy9lTc "I have said many times over the last few years that I do not agree with the process of trying people in the media. And because of that belief ah I am not going to comment in my statement on my case except to say that I am absolutely positive that a jury of my peers will come to the conclusion that I am innocent. The reason why I believe that will be their conclusion is that I know I am innocent. "However there is a very important issue that I am going to be focusing on right now. (interruption: 'Move away from the door!' Press conference moves a few feet.) "My concern at this moment is not with the case that I'm involved in. My concern is that it has been reported to me that while I have been down here in Worcester the F.B.I. asked the City Council President to turn off my computers and to turn off my telephone. "It also has been reported to me that the City Council plans to have a meeting at three o'clock on Monday in the council chambers to determine whether I can continue to serve. "My view is that the city council has no voice in the matter of whether I serve. The only people ...the only people who can make the decision whether I serve my constituents ...are my constituents. "I was elected by a vote of eighty two percent and I think that suggests that my district firmly is committed to having me serve them as a City Councilor. "As your (crowd: cheers applause) ... as as (crowd: Chuck Chuck Chuck...) (Turner silences crowd.) "You know as your ...as your stories will confirm and I hope you include it in your stories the F.B.I did not arrest me at my house when they came to my house at six o'clock in the morning they arrested me at City Hall at six thirty. "The reason why they didn't arrest me at six o'clock was I had left my house at five thirty to come to work. "My constituents understand that I am a seven day a week City Councilor. That I begin my day at six o'clock and I end my day at ten o'clock at night. That's why they have elected me to the last five terms. I have a responsibility to serve my constituents and I am not going to let the City Council stand in the way of that responsibility. "If Councilor Feeney ... Council President Feeney does not turn on my phone Monday morning when I come to work and turn my computer back on then we will go to court and challenge their right to deprive my district a district of majority Black and Latino constituents of the representative that they had chosen. "This is supposed to be a democracy. How could the Boston City Council even consider ... even consider taking away from my constituents ... and their constituents the leadership that they want. "I think that is horrendous for them even to think that. I think that is horrendous for City Council President Feeney to turn off my telephones and computers so that my staff could not do the work that they have been hired to do. "I am not gonna let this ...I am not gonna let this abuse of power continue. And I will be in court challenging the City Council if they don't respect my constituents. "Thank you." UPDATE 11/23/08 11:33 p.m. Councilor Turner released the following statement today: While I intensely dislike and think that it is highly unfair to decide a person's guilt or innocence through the media it is clear that once you become the target of a media witch hunt you either fight back by presenting the essence of your legal defense or allow the media wolves to destroy your reputation so that the jury's decision becomes irrelevant to public perception. Since my reputation for integrity has been the foundation of my fort-five year history as an activist and organizer and since I intend to continue my fight for justice until the day that I die I find myself confronted by the daunting task of using the media coverage to present my case to the public. This will not be easy but I have no other alternative. I have spent my entire life since graduating from Harvard College in 1963 fighting against the injustices faced by my racial community and my human community. I refuse to allow the political desires of the U.S. Attorney's Office to destroy my reputation. My defense begins today with the release to my community and the press of a copy of my response to Council President Feeney's call for a special Council meeting this Monday November 24 2008 at 3p.m. to decide my fate as a Councilor. I don't believe that the Council has a moral or ethical right to do that. My service as a Councilor should only be interrupted by a decision from my constituents or by a verdict from a jury of my peers. At 8 a.m. on Monday November 24th I will be on my community's radio station Touch 106.1 F.M.. At 2:30p.m. on Monday I will hold a press conference on the City Hall steps. At 3p.m. I will attend the special City Council meeting that Council President Feeney has called to have the Council decide my fate. I have requested as is my right under law that this hearing be public so that the media and public can hear the Counsel's discussions in order to be able to decide whether whatever actions the Council chooses to take are appropriate. ===== Councilor Turner also released the following letter today: Letter to Council President Feeney from Councilor Chuck Turner November 23 3008 Dear Council President Feeney I am very troubled by the news report that you have removed me from my committees and chairpersonships. I am also troubled by the fact that you have called a special Council meeting on Monday at 3 p.m. to apparently discuss whether to take action against me based on my arrest. I would urge you to cancel the meeting and allow the judicial process to judge my guilt or innocence. Not only would a meeting at this point be premature unjust and unfair but also it would create a situation in which I will not be able to defend myself since discussing specific aspects of my case would cause me to be in violation of the conditions imposed by the Court. While I believe I have a right to a jury trial before any Council action if you choose to forward with the special Council meeting I am requesting that it be an open meeting as is my right. I sincerely believe that if the Council is going to put me on trial that it should not take place behind closed doors. Sincerely Chuck Turner Web Resources: http://www.jamaicaplaingazette.com/node/3129 http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/11/fbi_arrests_cit.h... http://wbz.com/City-councilor-arrest-tied-to-Wilkerson-probe/3362548 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMR_8Dy9lTc http://www.youtube.com/ChuckTurnerBoston Bookmark/Search this post with: Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Reddit Newsvine Facebook Google Yahoo Technorati