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Feds Arrest Another Boston Official In Union Extortion Case

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Another Boston city official was arrested in connection to a union extortion case Wednesday as part of an ongoing federal investigation.

Timothy Sullivan is the second city official to get arrested in connection to the federal investigation. Federal officials have been investigating city officials for allegedly withholding city permits unless Boston Calling hired union stagehands for its music festival. Mayor Aide Kenneth Brissette was also arrested May 19 in connection to the alleged extortion.

“[He] was indicted in a two-count federal indictment charging him with conspiracy to extort a company and extortion of that company,” the Department of Justice detailed in a press release. “[The] indictment is a superseding indictment, which added two counts against Sullivan and one more count against Brissette.”

Sullivan oversaw intergovernmental affairs for Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Some city officials allegedly withheld permits between July and September 2014 while telling Boston Calling it had to hire union workers. Sullivan and other city officials have been the subjects on an ongoing federal probe over possible union extortion.

“There is no room in my Administration for the type of behavior that is alleged here,” Walsh said in a statement provided to The Daily Caller News Foundation. “That is why I have called for an independent ethics training program for all of the City’s department heads.  And its why I have outside counsel looking into how these events have been managed.”

Walsh has not been arrested but rumors has surfaces about his past connection to organized labor. He allegedly threatened companies that sought to hire nonunion workers before becoming mayor. He served as secretary-treasurer for the Boston Metropolitan District Building Trades Council at the time.

“The company told Brissette and Sullivan that it had already entered into a contract with a non-union company and hired all of its labor,” the press release continued. “Nevertheless, Brissette and Sullivan allegedly insisted that half of the company’s labor force consist of union members, although they ultimately agreed that eight members of Local 11 would suffice.”

Walsh was accused April 24 of allegedly telling another union official in 2012 that he threatened a company that wanted to hire nonunion workers. Walsh denied the accusations, and added his primary job for the union was to promote job growth. Federal investigators have issued subpoenas to union leaders, developers, and city hall staffers.

Walsh and Local 11 did not respond to requests for comment by The Daily Caller News Foundation.

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