At her final City Council meeting this week, Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who resigned in shame after being found guilty of federal corruption charges, is throwing a party for herself and urging everyone to join in.
Fernandes Anderson branded the meeting Wednesday “One Last Stand for District 7,” alluding to the Roxbury-centric district she represents on the Council, and her office sent out an official invitation via email blast on Monday.
I would be pleased if you could join me for my last Council meeting this Wednesday, June 25 at 12 p.m. in the Council chamber at City Hall as the sun sets on my tenure there. Anderson Fernandes wrote. Together, let’s celebrate what we’ve accomplished and look forward to the promising future.
The 46-year-old Fernandes Anderson was detained and charged by the federal government last December. She entered a guilty plea to two of the six federal corruption allegations against her in last year’s indictment—one count of wire fraud and one count of theft pertaining to a federal program—and was found guilty in May. Plea agreements he made with federal prosecutors this past April resulted in the dismissal of four further wire fraud offenses.
Fernandes Anderson’s kickback scheme at City Hall two years ago is linked to the charges. In exchange for $7,000 being returned to her, the second-term councilor gave a $13,000 bonus to one of her council employees, who was not a direct family member but was a related. According to the federal indictment, the handoff happened in a restroom at City Hall in June 2023 and was arranged via text.
With her last day scheduled for July 4, Fernandes Anderson formally filed her letter of resignation to the city earlier this month. Following her arrest and indictment, which Fernandes Anderson disregarded for months, Mayor Michelle Wu and five of her council colleagues—including the council president—called for her to resign immediately.
According to state law, councilors can only be removed from office upon a felony sentencing rather than a conviction.
On July 29, Fernandes Anderson will be sentenced in federal court. In addition to a $13,000 reparation order, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley has requested that the councilor get a term of one year and one day in prison.
Given the circumstances, Fernandes Anderson’s choice to publicly celebrate her departure was criticized by Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy, two councilors who had originally called for her resignation.
In a statement to the Herald, Flynn added, “This is just another embarrassing chapter for the entire Boston City Council and the residents of Boston.” A farewell party for Councilor Fernandes Anderson is inappropriate, in my opinion.
Murphy went on to say that ignoring or celebrating significant misbehavior actively undermines public trust rather than merely showing passive indifference.
“Leaders fail the very standards they were elected to uphold when they dismiss scandal or refuse accountability,” Murphy told the Herald in a statement. By acting as though nothing occurred, we are essentially endorsing the misconduct and conveying the idea that moral transgressions can be ignored.
Fernandes Anderson has ten resolution files on the schedule, which means she will be speaking on the Council floor for a large portion of Wednesday’s meeting in addition to formally inviting her closest D7 family members.
The filings include resolutions to support public understanding of the role and responsibilities of Boston city councilors, to acknowledge the first edition of the District 7 workbook, which is part of Fernandes Anderson’s transition plan for the district, and to express gratitude and honor the District 7 constituents for their diversity, courage, and shared commitment to civic engagement and justice.
Fernandes Anderson, a native of Cape Verde, also submitted a resolution designating July as Cabo Verdean Heritage Month and acknowledging and celebrating the island nation’s independence.
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The sponsor of a resolution frequently requests that councilors cast their votes on the same day that the proposal is reintroduced. These actions are merely symbolic and not legally obligatory.
According to Fernandes Anderson, this is not farewell. It’s a time to celebrate the teamwork we’ve done, the voices we’ve raised, and the community we’ve supported. I would be very happy to share this final chapter with you if you are able.
District 7, which covers Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and a portion of the South End, is represented by Fernandes Anderson, a city councilor who receives a salary of $120,000. In January 2022, she became the first African immigrant, Muslim American, and formerly undocumented individual elected to the City Council.
