BOSTON — Mayor Michelle Wu Tuesday responded to serious allegations made by a former city employee against her staffer, as reported by the Boston Globe.
The Boston Globe reports that Marwa Khudaynazar, former chief of state for Boston’s Police Accountability Office, is accusing Mayor Wu of firing her to protect her cabinet chief, Segun Idowu.
Khudaynazar was fired alongside her boyfriend, Chulan Huang, another city staffer, in May after a domestic dispute in Chinatown.
Huang faces a charge of assault and battery on a household member.
Khudaynazar faces a charge of assault and battery on a household, and assault and battery on a police officer.
A police report obtained by Boston 25 News claims Khudaynazar invoked her city hall status when police arrived to avoid punishment.
The Boston Globe article reports that the dispute between Khudaynazar and Huang was in light of an encounter between her and Huang’s boss, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion for the city of Boston Segun Idowu. He was appointed by Mayor Michelle Wu.
During that encounter, Khudaynazar claims Idowu made several sexual advances on her, according to the Boston Globe.
Khudaynazar was fired in light of her arrest. But, according to the Boston Globe’s report, she claims Segun was protected by the mayor amidst an election cycle.
Mayor Wu responded to the serious accusations.
“I am aware of what’s been reported,” Wu told Boston 25 news reporter Daniel Coates Tuesday. “Anytime the city of Boston receives any kind of allegation or report or suggestion there has been improper behavior by a city employee we, conduct a review.”
Mayor Wu claimed she did not know of the allegations until the Boston Globe’s report.
Jeff Robbins, Idowu’s attorney, told Boston 25 in part Tuesday:
“Any suggestion by anyone that Mr. Idowu engaged in any form of sexual harassment whatsoever would be pure and unadulterated [expletive], and defamatory [expletive] at that.”
Josh Kraft, the democratic running for Mayor Wu’s seat, said in part in a statement:
“These incidents, and the way the Mayor is handling them, suggests there is a workplace culture and ethics problem at the highest levels of City Hall.”
City councilor Erin Murphy said she is demanding an independent review alongside councilman Ed Flynn.
“I heard from that day on there was more to this,” she explained. “That was the rumor since day 1, ‘Will she try to avoid any public backlash from it?’ I hope that’s not what she did.”
Mayor Wu said she has faith in her internal investigations to oversee any and all allegations against the roughly 2,000 city workers.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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