The Lawrence City Council voted “no confidence” in the city’s embattled mayor, who is facing both state and federal charges, on Tuesday night.
The city council voted as 5 yes, 1 no, and 3 present.
The city council vote does not remove Mayor Brian DePeña from office.
There are now 15 state charges against the mayor, including allegations that he secretly recorded City Hall employees and shared the footage.
DePeña pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Those charges are on top of 11 federal charges he is already facing.
Federal prosecutors accuse him of misusing more than $1.5 million in pandemic-era small business loans, alleging some of that money went toward personal expenses and his mayoral campaign.
DePeña has said he will not resign. He has argued that the federal case involves business activities that happened before he became mayor.
He is due back in court on Dec. 9.
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