Today, we challenged the fourteen legislators and four statewide officers to donate to purge from their campaign war chests funds donated by the Teamsters Union. We also asked Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to make public the findings of an internal investigation into City Hall’s involvement in the actions leading to the indictments.
Our challenge comes in the wake of federal indictments on extortion charges stemming from strong-arm tactics used by Teamsters against the “Top Chef” cast and crew during an episode filmed in Boston. The tactics included threats of violence, racial and sexually derisive name-calling, and aggressive picketing.
Indictment documents suggest City Hall may have tipped off local businesses to Teamster plans. Such ties between the union and the city’s permitting authorities are troubling indeed, and we commend Mayor Walsh for launching an internal investigation. We look forward to hearing the results of the taxpayer-funded independent investigator.
The indictments make clear that the Boston Teamsters will go to any length to exert their influence, and in politics, money is influence. The people of our state deserve a legislative process that is free of the influence of what US Attorney Carmen Ortiz calls ‘old school thug tactics.’
Rather than ask elected officials to give back the donations, we have suggested campaign committees donate to charity an amount equivalent to that received.
Below is the list of elected officials who have received Teamsters donations and their office phone numbers as well as the number for the Mayor’s office. Call them and tell them you don’t want Teamsters money influencing our government.
Attorney General Maura Healey (617) 727-2200
Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg (617) 367-6900
Secretary of State William F. Galvin (617) 727-7030
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh (617) 635-4500
Representative James M. Murphy (617) 722-2240
Representative Joe McGonagle (617) 722-2400
Senator James E. Timilty (617) 722-1222
Senator Marc Pacheco (617) 722-1551
Representative Timothy J. Toomey, Jr. (617) 722-2380
Senator Thomas M. McGee (617) 722-1350
Representative Nick Collins (617) 722-2014
Senator Sal DiDomenico (617) 722-1650
Representative William C. Galvin (617) 722-2692
Representative Tackey Chan (617) 722-2080
Representative Paul J. Donato (617) 722-2180
Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (617) 722-2080
Representative Harold P. Naughton, Jr. (617) 722-2230
Representative Adrian Madaro (617) 722-2637