City Officials Arraigned on Extortion, Conspiracy Charges

Boston, MA - Two Boston city hall officials tied up in a federal indictment entered not guilty pleas in court Tuesday, charged with extortion and conspiracy to extort in connection with the Boston Calling music festival.

City of Boston Chief of Staff of Intergovernmental Affairs Timothy Sullivan and Director of the Office of Tourism Kenneth Brissette were both arrested earlier this year and released within 24 hours on respective $25,000 unsecured bonds.

Both entered not guilty pleas during a brief appearance before Boston's U.S. District Court Tuesday.

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A seven-page indictment from U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office details the claims against Sullivan and Brissette.

As alleged in that indictment, Sullivan and Brissette in 2014 pressured the company behind the Boston Calling music festival to hire union employees and withheld certain permits and approvals until the festival production company hired a handful of IATSE Locall 11 employees.

The attorney representing Sullivan has blasted Ortiz for overstepping the bounds of her office and wrongfully targeting his client.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has expressed concern with the allegations, saying, "There is no room in my Administration for the type of behavior that is alleged here."

Also in June, Walsh said he's called for an "independent ethics training program" to be taken by all city department heads, and asked outside counsel to examine the way the events were conducted.

>> City Hall photo by John Zacherle, Flickr/Creative Commons