Former Wu staffer says she was fired to protect top aide: report
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A Boston City Hall employee fired last month after being arrested in a domestic incident claims in a newly published interview that Mayor Michelle Wu fired her to protect a top aide.
Why it matters: Marwa Khudaynazar, former chief of staff in the police oversight office, told The Boston Globe that she believes Wu terminated her to protect economic development chief Segun Idowu, who Khudaynazar says propositioned her at a Back Bay bar.
The intrigue: Khudaynazar, 27, in her first post-firing interview, claims Idowu showed her a hotel booking and said he "would love for you to join me."
- She says she declined the offer but drove Idowu to the hotel. She says he kissed her and repeatedly asked her to reconsider.
- Idowu's lawyer, in a statement provided to Axios, denied that Idowu acted in any way that would be considered sexual harassment.
Catch up quick: Both Khudaynazar and her boyfriend, Chulan Huang, 26, a staffer under Idowu, were fired after a domestic incident that Khudaynazar says stemmed from an argument about Idowu's advances.
- Both were arrested on assault charges during a May 15 domestic incident in Chinatown. They have pleaded not guilty.
- The mayor, in firing the pair, alleged they had invoked their City Hall jobs to avoid arrest. Khudaynazar in her Globe interview disputed that claim.
- An internal City Hall review of the incident found no legal or policy violations from other employees, including Idowu.
- Wu communications chief Jessicah Pierre told the Globe that Idowu was not involved in the firings and the administration "has not received any allegations of sexual harassment regarding this matter."
The other side: Mayoral candidate Josh Kraft accused Wu of tolerating "sexual harassment" and protecting perpetrators.
- City Councilor Ed Flynn called for Idowu's firing.