Ricardo Arroyo (politician)

Ricardo N. Arroyo is an American lawyer and politician from the state of Massachusetts. He is currently a member of the Boston City Council.[2]

Ricardo Arroyo
Member of the Boston City Council
from the 5th district
Assumed office
January 2020
Preceded byTimothy McCarthy
Personal details
Born1987 or 1988 (age 35–36)[1]
Boston, Massachusetts
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceHyde Park, Boston[1]
Alma materMassachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Loyola University Chicago[1]
Websitevotearroyo.com

Political career

Arroyo first ran for a seat on the Boston City Council in 2019; at the time, he was working as a public defender.[3] He successfully won the District 5 (Hyde Park and Roslindale) seat on the council in the November 2019 election,[4] took office in January 2020, and was re-elected in the November 2021 election.[5]

In June 2020, Arroyo (along with Andrea Campbell, Kim Janey, Julia Mejia, and Michelle Wu) was one of five members of the Boston City Council to vote against Mayor Marty Walsh's 2021 operating budget for the city. Arroyo criticized the budget as insufficiently addressing the issue of equity, and pointed out that matters such as fair housing, the city's Disabilities commission, and support services for senior citizens received far less funding than the Boston Police Department.[6]

Arroyo was a prominent backer of an ordinance that would advance a home rule petition to make the Boston School Committee an elected body. The ordinance passed the city council 7–5 on February 15, 2023,[7] but was vetoed two days later by Mayor Michelle Wu who felt it was an inopportune time to change the board structure.[8]

In early February 2022, Arroyo announced his candidacy for the position of district attorney (DA) of Suffolk County (Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop), Massachusetts.[9] The position had previously been held by Rachael Rollins, prior to her appointment as United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.[9] Kevin Hayden, appointed by Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker as interim DA, declared his candidacy shortly afterwards.[10] Arroyo and Hayden both gained spots on the Democratic ballot in the primary election scheduled for September 6, 2022.[11]

In the course of the election campaign, The Boston Globe reported that police had previously investigated Arroyo for sexual assault reports in two separate instances, in 2005 and 2007. (Neither investigation resulted in charges.)[12] Arroyo lost several key endorsements in the wake of the reports. Following the Democratic primary election held on September 6, and with results showing Hayden with a lead of approximately seven points (53.8% to 46.2%), Arroyo conceded the race via Twitter the following morning.[13] After the past sexual assault accusations surfaced, City Council President Ed Flynn suspended Arroyo from his city council committee chairmanships.[14]

In 2023 Ricardo ran for reelection to the Boston city council and lost in the primaries.[15]

Controversies

Sexual Assault Allegations

On August 23, 2022, The Boston Globe published an article regarding two instances of sexual assault reports involving Arroyo that were investigated by police in 2005 and 2007. Arroyo was not charged in either instance, and he denied the allegations reported by the Globe.[12] An attorney, speaking at a news conference on behalf of the 2007 complainant, stated that Arroyo never assaulted her client. Further that her client thought the Globe twisted her words.[16] Arroyo stated that he was unaware of allegations until being informed by the Globe. He was required to disclose being the subject of any criminal investigation that he may have been aware of when applying for his law license in 2014.[12] The report led to the withdrawal of some endorsements in his run for the Suffolk DA position.[17] The president of the Boston City Council, Ed Flynn, also removed Arroyo from two committee chairmanships and from his position as vice president of the council.[18] On August 30, the Globe published comments from an August 29 interview with the woman who accused Arroyo of assault in 2005—she stood by her accusations of coerced sex by Arroyo.[19] The following day, Arroyo lost the support of senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Boston mayor Michelle Wu, as they withdrew their endorsements of him for Suffolk DA.[20]

Involvement in Rachel Rollins Election Integrity Scandal

On May 17, 2023, the US Dept of Justice released the results of two parallel investigations into ethical misconduct by US Attorney Rachel Rollins.[21][22] Both reports showed, during his 2022 campaign to be District Attorney for Suffolk County, Arroyo had asked Rollins to leak secret information and help him in the election. During Arroyo's campaign, Rollins had become aware that her federal US Attorney's Office was likely to begin an investigation into criminal allegations against Arroyo's opponent.[23] Although information about the investigation was legally required to be kept confidential, Arroyo and Rollins had exchanged text messages to coordinate its release:[22]

8:57 p.m., Arroyo: “Are y’all announcing an investigation into [the former Transit Officer] situation with Hayden?”

8:57 p.m., Arroyo: “Would be the best thing I can have happen at this moment.”

9:02 p.m., Rollins: “You need [the Law Professor] to release his letter.”

9:06 p.m., Arroyo: “Rachael you know what I am dealing with right now with the globe.”

9:06 p.m., Arroyo: “Im [sic] not currently calling electeds to write opeds.”

9:07 p.m., Arroyo: “Im [sic] literally fighting a punch meant to end my career.”

9:08 p.m., Rollins: “Understood. Keep fighting and campaigning. I’m working on something.”

Both reports showed that Arroyo and Rollins had communicated about Arroyo's campaign throughout July, August, and September 2022, and that he had sought her guidance as a campaign advisor. Ultimately, Arroyo did not win election to be Suffolk County District Attorney. He conceded the race to his opponent Kevin Hayden on September 6.[13]

Two days after the release of the investigations into her misconduct, Rollins resigned her office on May 19.[24] Arroyo defended his actions in interviews and social media, saying "I never asked her to do those things" and that the investigations did not allege misconduct by him.[25]

Arroyo received criticism from several colleagues on Boston City Council. Councilor Erin Murphy said he should "consider resigning" after the release of the reports. City Council President Ed Flynn said in a statement "Recent reports and troubling information has once again cast a shadow over the Boston City Council...the residents of Boston deserve better."[26]

Ethics Violation

On June 27, 2023, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission announced that Ricardo Arroyo in a Disposition Agreement had "admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by continuing to represent his brother [Felix Arroyo] in a civil lawsuit against his brother and the City of Boston after he became a City Councilor." Ricardo Arroyo agreed to pay a $3,000 fine.[27]

According to the Ethics Commission, Ricardo Arroyo had acted as his brother's attorney prior to January 2020. Ricardo Arroyo became a city councilor that January, and continued to serve as attorney for over a year.

Personal life

Arroyo's father, Felix D. Arroyo, and brother, Felix G. Arroyo, both previously served on the Boston City Council as at-large members.[1]

References
  1. McDonald, Danny; Alanez, Tonya (February 8, 2022). "City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo to run for Suffolk district attorney". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  2. "Ricardo Arroyo points to public defender background in his case for Suffolk DA". News. 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  3. Fox, Jeremy C.; Hilliard, John (November 1, 2019). "Meet the candidates for Boston City Council district seats". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  4. "City of Boston - Unofficial Results - UPDATED" (PDF). boston.gov. November 13, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  5. Waller, John (November 2, 2021). "2021 Boston City Council election results". Boston.Com. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  6. Gavin, Christopher (June 25, 2020). "The Boston City Council passed the $3.6 billion operating budget amid controversy. Here's a breakdown of the debate". www.boston.com. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  7. Wintersmith, Saraya (15 February 2023). "Boston City Council approves shift to elected school committee despite Wu's opposition". WGBH. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  8. Huffaker, Christopher (February 17, 2023). "Mayor Michelle Wu vetoes elected School Committee bill - The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  9. Mitchell, Jack (February 8, 2022). "Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo is running for Suffolk County DA". WBUR-FM. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  10. Wintersmith, Saraya (16 February 2022). "Interim Suffolk Co. DA Kevin Hayden is running for a full term". GBH. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  11. "2022 State Primary Candidates: Democratic Candidates For Nomination". MA.us. Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  12. Ryan, Andrew; Estes, Andrea; Allen, Evan (August 23, 2022). "Suffolk DA candidate Ricardo Arroyo was twice investigated in possible sexual assaults. He says he was never informed". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  13. Fieldman, Luis (September 7, 2022). "Suffolk County DA race: Ricardo Arroyo concedes to Kevin Hayden in scandal-heavy primary". masslive.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  14. Wintersmith, Saraya (29 August 2022). "Boston City Council president suspends Arroyo's committee chairmanships". WGBH. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  15. https://www.wcvb.com/article/boston-city-council-2023-primary-results-lara-arroyo-concede/45111388
  16. "DA candidate responds to resurfacing of old sexual assault allegations". WCVB. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  17. McDonald, Danny; Allen, Evan; Estes, Andrea; Ryan, Andrew (August 24, 2022). "Amid criticism and dropped endorsements, DA candidate Arroyo pushes back on revelation of past sex assault investigations". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  18. McDonald, Danny (August 29, 2022). "In wake of allegations, Ed Flynn strips Ricardo Arroyo of council vice presidency, chairmanships". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  19. Estes, Andrea; Allen, Evan (August 30, 2022). "Woman who accused Suffolk DA candidate Ricardo Arroyo of sexual assault breaks silence: 'The lies. ... It makes me sick'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  20. Katcher, Will (August 31, 2022). "Ricardo Arroyo loses endorsements from Michelle Wu, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey after sexual assault developments". Boston.com. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  21. US Office of Special Counsel. "Report of Prohibited Political Activity Under the Hatch Act OSC File No. HA‐22‐000173 (Rachael Rollins)." May 17, 2023.
  22. US Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Oversight and Review Division. "An Investigation of Alleged Misconduct by United States Attorney Rachael Rollins." May 2023.
  23. Patkin, Abby. "Reports: Rachael Rollins attempted to 'sabotage' Suffolk DA race". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  24. "Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael Rollins formally resigns in wake of ethics probes". AP News. 2023-05-20. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  25. Patkin, Abby. "As calls mount for Arroyo resignation, he says he's not going anywhere". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  26. "Calls for Arroyo to step down from Boston City Council after Rollins investigation". www.wbur.org. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  27. "Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo Admits he Violated Conflict of Interest Law by Representing his Brother in Lawsuit | Mass.gov". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
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