Boston councilor arrested for corruption: What's next for her seat
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When City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested on corruption charges Friday, it opened up competition for the Roxbury-based district she represents.
State of play: Anderson could be pressured to step down before trial, or eventually forced from her seat, which reps parts of the South End, Fenway and Dorchester.
- If she resigns, the city would hold a special election to fill the seat.
- If she sticks around and runs again, voters will get their say next November when the ocuncil is up for reelection.
- Mayor Michelle Wu and a few council members have called on Anderson to resign.
Between the lines: Voters haven't been forgiving recently of local incumbents accused of wrongdoing.
- Last year councilors Kendra Lara and Ricardo Arroyo were both ousted.
Zoom in: Anderson's district could see the return of Althea Garrison.
- Something of a perennial candidate, Garrison has run, and lost, in dozens of races over the last 40 years — most recently against Anderson in the District 7 election last year.
- Last year was also when she came out as transgender and embraced her identity as part of the campaign.
- She served in the state House in the early 1990s and, as the fifth-place finisher in the 2017 council at-large race, was elevated to fill a vacant seat when Ayanna Pressley went to Washington. But she lost in the next election.
Catch up quick: Anderson was indicted on:
- 5 counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud
- 1 count of aiding and abetting theft of federal money
The indictment accused her of a kickback scheme where she allegedly awarded a bonus of public money to a staffer, then took some of it for herself.
- Anderson pleaded not guilty Friday and left the courthouse without commenting.
The bottom line: With Anderson facing a federal trial, the District 7 race is wide open.