Lantigua Must Recuse himself from Wilfredo Laboy Hearing

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL

 

 

April, 2010

This month the Lawrence School Committee will meet and hear testimony from indicted superintendent Wilfredo Laboy in his quest to appeal the committee’s decision to fire him.

But, Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua, who chairs the seven member board, is named in the Laboy indictment as his State Rep. campaign received materials illegally produced by the Lawrence School Department.

Lantigua says he knew nothing of the illegal campaign materials produced on a half-million dollar printing press purchased with state taxpayers money. But, whether or not Lantigua’s knew that his campaign benefited from illegally produced material at the hands of (as the allegation goes) Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy, he has a duty to recuse himself from any votes on the status of the superintendent as the appearance of a conflict surely exists.

We also believe that current School Committeeman Gregory Morris has the same conflict, as his campaign also allegedly benefited from material produced by the Lawrence School Department.

How can two members of the committee vote to fire the superintendent for his alleged role in producing campaign material for politicians (among other allegations) when they are but two of the politicians who received such material?