A fundraiser planned for a Michelle Wu opposition group has erupted into controversy and fizzled, with Boston politicians now scrambling to run away from the effort.
What began as a birthday party for former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, then a fundraiser for his son, City Council President Ed Flynn, then a gathering to “Save Our City” from leftist politicians is now back to being a fundraiser for Ed Flynn.
The gathering planned at PR mogul George Regan’s house on Cape Cod was at one time supposed to launch the emerging “Save Our City” group – billed as an effort to “save the City of Boston from the negative impacts of the ultra-progressive policies that dominate the current City Council and current administration at Boston City Hall.”
The list of attendees included Flynn, Councilor Erin Murphy, Councilor Frank Baker, Councilor Michael Flaherty and council candidates Bridget Nee Walsh and John Fitzgerald.
But after questions emerged about the legality of the group and its opposition to Wu, and the fact that a group to save Boston was being held on tony Cape Cod, politicians began running away from it.
“I was invited to a birthday party for Ambassador Flynn on Saturday evening down on the Cape,” Murphy told the Herald. “He’s an old friend and a great public servant, and I will wish him a happy birthday privately. I wasn’t aware of and am not aligned with this other event (Save Our City), and won’t be attending.”
Fitzgerald, a city of Boston employee, also now reportedly won’t be going to the fundraiser.
And Ed Flynn put out a statement clarifying that the event “is being organized by community and business leaders throughout Greater Boston looking to celebrate Mayor Flynn’s 84th birthday” and also to support him as City Council President.
“I will continue to focus on delivering positive leadership on the Boston City Council, addressing quality of life issues and working with the Wu administration, my council colleagues and Boston residents to help move our city forward,” Flynn said.
But on Thursday, Regan sent out a statement to at least one publication and told the Herald that the event was going to be called “Save Our City.” The Dorchester Reporter reported the press release in a story.
That release angered the Wu administration and triggered flak about the ethics of the event that also caused its collapse. Campaign finance law prohibits coordination between candidates and super PACs – which Save Our City was going to become.
The fundraiser fiasco bears striking similarities to when Regan had to cancel another fundraising event for former Gov. Charlie Baker several years ago because UMass President Marty Meehan was mistakenly listed as host of the event. Public employees aren’t allowed to host fundraising events. That fundraiser was also at Regan’s Mashpee home and even featured the same band, the James Montgomery Band.
The “Save Our City” event grew out of private meetings that business leaders have been quietly holding for the last several months, including several developers who have been shut out of the Wu administration and aren’t happy. They tentatively planned to form a super PAC to elect more conservative councilors and recruit someone to run against Wu, but those plans may now be scuttled.
