From: The Massachusetts Whistleblower

BOSTON/South Boston - Chuck Turner was sentenced to three years of incarceration at the Moakley Courthouse on Tuesday - ending a two year struggle by the embattled former Boston city councilor and his allies to stave off federal corruption charges. Constituents and supporters packed the courtroom and two overflow rooms to watched on closed circuit TV as lawyers on both sides made their case to US District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock. The atmosphere was bitter as hopes ran thin that Turner would be granted leniency. The crowd remained well composed with the notable exception of when Assistant US Attorney John McNeil began his remarks by saying this prosecution “has nothing to do with race, politics, or activism.” Woodlock quickly reminded those in attendance that outbursts would not be tolerated.

BOSTON – The “power” to decide a politician’s fate, says City Councilor At-Large Felix G. Arroyo, ultimately rests with the people who live in that politician’s district.

In a brief phone conversation with Open Media Boston this past Friday evening, City Councilor At-Large Felix Arroyo, said he believes a Council member convicted of a felony should have to start over; in other words, leave office and face the public in an election.

BOSTON/Government Center - In a nearly unanimous vote today, Chuck Turner was ousted from his seat on the Boston City Council, effective Friday December 3rd.

Thirty two days after being convicted in federal court of taking a bribe, City Council members voted 11 to 1 to support an order to remove the District Seven Councilor from the legislative body. Turner has served his district for eleven years.

Only Councilor Charles Yancey opposed the order calling on Turner to vacate his office.

BOSTON/City Hall - With federal stimulus funding for youth summer jobs off the table in the wake of a failed U.S. Senate vote earlier this month, over 200 Boston teenagers attended a rally for youth jobs on Tuesday called by City Councilor Felix Arroyo and several community organizations - including Teen Empowerment, Hyde Square Task Force, Project RIGHT, Project HIP-HOP, Maverick Landing, Reflect and Strengthen, and Medicine Wheel. Arroyo, chair of the City Council's Committee on Labor, Youth Affairs and Human Rights, invited the young people to the rally and the committee hearing that followed to drum up public support for finding money to fund the estimated 2000 youth summer jobs that are on the chopping block.

BOSTON/Roxbury - Incumbent District 7 City Councilor Chuck Turner faced off with challenger Carlos "Tony" Henriquez - the president of the board of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative - at a debate in front of an audience of over 80 community members at Hibernian Hall in Dudley Square on Wednesday. The event was organized by a RoxVote, a "coalition of community organizations that care about civic participation in Roxbury" which includes Madison Park Development Corporation, DSNI, Nuestra Communidad Community Development Corporation, the Orchard Gardens and Orchard Commons Residents Association, and a number of other groups.

BOSTON - Mayor Thomas Menino has refused to expand the civilian review board which handles complaints against the Boston Police Department, citing a lack of complaints. In this video, Press Pass TV investigates if the amount of complaints are reflective of people's experiences with the police.

Press Pass TV is a Boston-based youth-adult partnership non-profit whose mission is to produce socially responsible video journalism which promotes a more diverse media, empowers communities, and increases civic engagement.

BOSTON/Roxbury - Ten of the fifteen candidates running for At-Large City Council seats this fall participated in a public forum sponsored by Open Media Boston this past Wednesday at Roxbury Community College. The preliminary election – to be held across Boston on Tuesday, September 22nd – will narrow the field to eight candidates. Four At-Large seats are up for grabs - and two incumbents are in the race. So, at least two new candidates will be elected to office after the final election in November.

BOSTON/Roxbury - Councilor Chuck Turner (G/R-District 7) rallied over 200 supporters at Roxbury Community College on Tuesday in the wake of an announcement by Ronald Wilburn, the only witness and the linchpin of the federal bribery case against Turner, that he would no longer cooperate with the government. The event focused on preparing attendees to expand Turner's community-based approach to his defense as legal proceedings against him continue.

BOSTON/Government Center - Over 50 people turned out to Boston City Hall Plaza in frigid weather on Wednesday to attend a press conference by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark - who announced his support for Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner (G/R - District 7) in his fight against charges that he took a $1000 bribe from a local nightclub owner.