Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is speaking out in the wake of federal public corruption charges being filed against sitting City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson.
In a statement issued Friday morning, Wu called on Fernandes Anderson to resign from the council.
"Like any member of the community, Councilor Fernandes Anderson has the right to a fair legal process. But the serious nature of these charges undermine the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city. I urge Councilor Fernandes Anderson to resign," Wu said in her statement.
City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune also called for Fernandes Anderson's resignation in a statement issued Friday afternoon.
"As the President of the Boston City Council, I work to ensure that the body acts with integrity and centers the needs of all residents," she said. "Public trust is paramount in our line of work, especially at the local level. Councilor Fernandes Anderson has every right to due process in a court of law. Given the severity of the allegations brought against her, and the direct impact that they have on residents’ ability to see the Boston City Council as their faithful stewards, it is in the best interest of the body that she resign. This would allow the legal process to unfold without undue disruption to the body."
NBC10 Boston spoke with several other councilors on Friday after the news of Fernandes Anderson's indictment broke.
"I was surprised when I saw this morning how serious the allegations are," Councilor Erin Murphy said. "It's alarming... Using our power for personal gain in any job is just not right."
Councilor Ed Flynn said it's "necessary" for Fernandes Anderson to resign. He also said that he will be calling for a standalone council ethics committee to address the issue.
"It's very clear from talking with residents they think she can no longer serve in this role," Councilor Sharon Durkan added.
Others seemed to be taking more of a "wait and see" approach.
"We just have to continue to do our job," Councilor Enrique Pepen said. "Put our head down and serve the people of Boston."
"I think we all know what we need to do for our constituents and we'll continue doing that," Councilor John Fitzgerald added. "Whether things are surprising or not is not for me to decide. That's for the legal process to decide what is justice."
Fernandes Anderson was arrested Friday morning on federal public corruption charges alleging that she orchestrated "a complicated kickback scheme" to steal city funds, officials said Friday.
According to the indictment, Fernandes Anderson, 45, of Boston, is facing six counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud in connection with the use of federal money through her role on the city council. The City of Boston receives federal grant money for some of its operations. In 2023, that amounted to over $10,000.
Federal investigators allege that in late 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired a relative to her staff, despite rules prohibiting the hiring of immediate family members. The pair made a deal that Fernandes Anderson would award the staffer a bonus and they would then pay back a portion of that bonus to Fernandes Anderson as a kickback.
According to the indictment, Fernandes Anderson lied about being related to the staffer when the hire was made, and later failed to disclose the kickback arrangement, claiming the large bonus awarded to the staffer was to pay them for previous volunteer work.
The bonus awarded was $13,000, investigators say, significantly more than the bonus awarded to any other member of the staff. Investigators said the staffer then paid Fernandes Anderson $7,000 in cash, which was exchanged in a City Hall bathroom.
