Wednesday is the first day on the job for one new Lawrence, Massachusetts, city councilor, but it comes amid some serious allegations.
Fidelina Santiago was sworn into the role Tuesday night, but she’s accused of cheating in the race she just won.
Santiago was indicted last month on voter fraud, after a video appeared to show a woman removing ballots from the mailbox at a Lawrence home in November. She and another Lawrence resident, Jennifer Lopez, are now facing 16 counts of charges related to voter fraud. Still, Santiago was sworn in.
“I don’t have any comment about it, thank you,” Santiago told NBC10 Boston Tuesday night.
It should be noted the Essex County District Attorney’s Office hasn’t said if either Santiago or Lopez is the woman in the video. In fact, the only reason this came to light was because the man who lives at that apartment went to vote in the council election in November and was told his ballot had already been cast. He then checked his surveillance video and notified police.
Officials are looking into allegations of possible voter fraud in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and NBC10 Boston has obtained video footage from a man’s home that appears to show a woman removing ballots from his mailbox.
NBC10 Boston asked the city clerk Tuesday night how, despite an indictment, Santiago was sworn in.
“We were assured that even though she has an indictment, she does not have a conviction, so we were instructed to swear her in, which we did do this evening,” said City Clerk Eileen Bernal.
“Incredible, unbelievable. I think today democracy has failed,” Vladimir Acevedo, Lawrence City Council candidate who lost to Santiago, told NBC10 Boston Tuesday night.
Acevedo spent Tuesday night protesting while the ceremony was happening.
The two defendants have not yet been arraigned in court on the charges.
