A day after Mayor Michelle Wu defended the dismissal of two City Hall staffers connected to a domestic disturbance, the city revealed that is it launching a new inquiry into the matter in light of new allegations against a top aide Segun Idowu.
The measure came several days after one of the fired staffers, Marwa Khudaynazar spoke publicly to the Boston Globe,accusing Idowu, the city’s Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Idowu and one of Wu’s cabinet chiefs, of inappropriately propositioning her when they met each other at a bar in the hours before her arrest.
In a statement, Idowu welcomed the new investigation and characterized the situation as a matter amplified by the attention of election-year politics.
“I am grateful that a mechanism has been put in place to further fact check the outrageous insinuations that have been circulated at my expense,” Idowu’s statement said. “I welcome the opportunity to participate in an additional review and look forward to promptly and thoroughly cooperating with that inquiry, just as I have responded to questions put to me previously within City Hall.”
Wu’s office had previously maintained that the city’s internal investigation into the matter found no wrongdoing by Idowu, or anyone other than the two who were fired. Khudaynazar told the Globe that the city failed to ask about Idowu’s conduct before firing her.
In a memo sent to the City Council Wednesday, Alex Lawrence, Boston’s Chief People Officer, said that the city “had not received any allegations of misconduct or harassment from any parties through the internal review process prior to the media reports,” and now “is undertaking further review of the matter, with the engagement of external employment counsel.
The memo discouraged the Boston City Council from taking up an emergency resolution calling for a separate, independent investigation in light of Khudaynazar’s accusation. Lawrence suggested that the resolution would directly violate city charter rules which bar the council “from participating in individual personnel matters.”
“It is not lost on me that this is an election year in Boston.” Idowu’s statement added, referencing pressure from Wu’s critics for more transparency around the investigation. “I am deeply disappointed in those who are seeking to politicize a law enforcement matter that I had nothing to do with as a way to distract from the good work that has been achieved over the last three and a half years. Again, I am grateful for the opportunity this inquiry provides and look forward to fully cooperating with it.”
Police reports show that Khudaynazar later met up her boyfriend and fellow City Hall staffer Chulan Huang. According to the report, she told Huang that Idowu had propositioned her, which sparked a conflict that led to her calling the police. Both Huang and Khudaynazar were arrested and charged with assault on a household member. Khudaynazar was also charged with assault on a police officer.
This is a developing story.
