blog@abn

The second lawsuit filed by Kevin McCrea, Kathleen Devine and myself against the Boston City Council is coming to a head. This one is about the pay raise the Government Operations Committee approved for the Council, the Mayor, and numerous others, in a private vote in spring. The Law says a complaint based on valid evidence of a violation gets a hearing in court in ten days or at the earliest possible date. That hearing would put the Councilors, and any other relevant witnesses, on the stand for sworn testimony. Of course, the Council wants to avoid that above all, even if it means a decision -- or admission -- of guilt. As in the first suit we filed (and in the case against Council in 1987 by the state Attorney General), the Council lawyer (same lawyer as in l987!) was planning to file motions that would somehow keep the Councilors off the witness stand. Last Thursday, October 19, the court decided that we would go to trial, with or without the Motion for Summary Judgment the City Council lawyers want to file. This is big news! Will we get to question our Councilors, Mayor and others on the witness stand? Or will they....hmm, what will they try to do to escape? See Kevin's blog for more.