The city of Boston has dismissed a pair of City Hall staffers who were arrested earlier this month in connection with an apparent domestic disturbance.
Police reports indicated that the two staffers — Marwa Khudaynazar, chief of staff for Boston’s police oversight agency, and Chulan Huang, neighborhood business manager for the city Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion — were both charged with assault and battery on a household member. Khudaynazar was also charged with assault and battery on a police officer.
According to reports, Khudaynazar called police to the scene in the early hours Thursday, May 15, over a fight she was having with Huang. Police reports indicate that once the two were separated, Huang told a responding officer “she went on a date with my boss,” and “then they booked a hotel room and she came here to rub it in my face.” At different points in their interaction with police on the scene, both Khudaynazar and Huang indicated that they work for the city. Huang, according to a police report, told authorities: “We both work for the city, this is unnecessary.”
The two were both previously placed on unpaid leave.
In a statement Tuesday, a city spokesperson said their terminations followed an internal investigation by the city’s human resources department.
“After completing an internal review, the employment of both individuals has been terminated by the City,” the statement said. “The review found no violations of laws or City workforce policies by any other City employees.”
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn, who had called for an independent investigation into the situation, said in a statement Tuesday that the terminations still leave questions. Flynn has also called for the termination of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Chief Segun Idowu who leads the department Huang worked within.
“The police report indicated the incident stemmed from a relationship with a city employee in a position of authority. Although it may not be an issue of power dynamics, unanswered questions regarding relationships in the workplace remain,” Flynn said in a statement to GBH News.
“It is critical to restore public trust with an independent investigation into the relevant city departments, and ensure we are not creating a culture that facilitates a hostile work environment.”
The situation has spilled into the realm of political optics with mayoral challenger Josh Kraft issuing a statement urging the mayor to release more details of the city’s internal investigation to the public.
“Two aides were dismissed following a domestic dispute that resulted in violence against a police officer, but with no consequences for Segun Idowu, a top aide to the mayor, who is allegedly involved with one of the aides that was fired,” Kraft’s statement said.
“If the public is to have any confidence in the ‘internal investigation’ that Mayor Wu claims ‘found no violations of laws or City workforce policies by any other City employees,’ she should release the report to the public,” he wrote.
So far, the mayor’s office has not responded to specific questions regarding concerns raised about Idowu or his department. Idowu has not responded to requests for comment.
