Judge rejects bid to halt special election to replace Chuck Turner

Judge rejects bid to halt special election to replace Chuck Turner
By Associated Press  |   Monday, February 7, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Politics

Photo by AP

BOSTON — A federal judge has cleared the way for a special election to replace former Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner, who was convicted on corruption charges.

Turner sought to delay the Feb. 15 election. He claimed that he was improperly removed by his fellow councilors in December, and so there was technically no vacancy on the council to fill.

In his ruling on Monday, Wolf said that even if the ouster of Turner by the council was found to be improper, the 3-year prison sentence he received on Jan. 25 would have necessitated his automatic removal from office.

Wolf said delaying the election would be "inequitable, and indeed unseemly."

Turner was convicted of taking a $1,000 bribe from a businessman seeking help in getting a liquor license from the city.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1314991