Democratic Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has drawn comparisons to disgraced former President Richard Nixon for compiling a list of her most vocal critics and sending it to the police.
Wu, the first woman and first person of color to be elected Mayor of Beantown, admitted the list had been compiled but cited security concerns and a request by a Boston Police Department spokesman.
“The list was created in response to a request from the Boston Police Department after the mayor suffered several months of harassment and physical intimidation from individuals outside of her home, at city events such as the annual coffee hours in neighborhood parks, and at other public events.” ” said Ricardo Patron in a statement.
Notable names on the list of 15 people include several local restaurateurs who have sued Wu’s government, saying it is biased against Italians and whites.
Shana Cottone, a former Boston police officer, was also named for opposing vaccination requirements and failing to act as a security officer with Wu during a protest.
Democratic Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu is drawing comparisons to former President Richard Nixon after it was revealed she compiled a list of her most vocal critics and sent it to police
Others named include local city council candidate and strong critic of mayor Catherine Vitale, as well as several anti-vaccination protesters who have been protesting outside Wu’s home.
Nixon, a Republican, famously kept an “enemy list” during his presidency that included the names of union leaders, incumbent congressmen and even famous liberal actor Paul Newman.
Several lists were uncovered during the investigation into the wiretapping of the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in 1972, and the ensuing cover-up eventually led to his resignation.
Wu’s spokesman Patron told the Boston Herald that the list had been requested by the Boston Police Department.
“The request (from police) came after many of those on the list repeatedly obstructed the Dorchester Day parade to harass Mayor Wu and her family and staff by yelling at her and her children through megaphones for almost ninety minutes , while participating in the parade, despite being asked by the parade organizers to leave the parade route.’
has reached out to the Boston Police Department for comment on the matter.
Restaurant owners include “the Mendoza Brothers from the North End,” who were part of the lawsuit filed in the fall of 2022 that centered on Wu’s order forcing neighborhood restaurants to pay $7,500 to have a meal at the Free license for the 2022 summer season, while it was free in the rest of Boston.
The mayor’s office said that in the North End, street eating would no longer be allowed and sidewalk eating would be restricted to establishments with “sufficient” pavement width.
Other names include local city council candidate and vehement critic of the mayor, Catherine Vitale
Jorge Mendoza, owner of Vinoteca di Monica, is one of the names on the list
Restaurants in other neighborhoods will pay between $199 and $399 a month, depending on whether they have a liquor license or not, for the right to set up tables outside in 2023.
“It is well known that the traditional proprietor of a restaurant in Boston’s North End is a white male of Italian descent, and the North End is widely regarded as Boston’s last truly ethnic Italian neighborhood,” a section of the lawsuit reads.
The new plaintiffs are the same plaintiffs who sued Wu’s office in 2022 over the decision to restrict outdoor dining rules in Boston.
They are Jorge Mendoza, owner of the Vinoteca di Monica; Carla Gomes, owner of Terramia Ristorante and Antico Forno; Christian Silvestri, owner of Rabia’s Dolce Fumo; and Patrick Mendoza, owner of Monica’s Trattoria.
Another prominent North End restaurant owner, Frank DePasquale, is also backing the campaign.
“It’s annoying for us to be discriminated against.” “It’s a mistake for Italians,” he told the Boston Globe.
In 2022, North End restaurants were not allowed to open al fresco until May, while the rest of Boston’s restaurants could dine on the terrace in April.
The $7,500 was allowed to be paid in installments, and in some cases reduced based on the size of the restaurant. As a result, the city raised nearly $800,000.
The group cites the mayor’s all-inclusive Boston campaign as an example of anti-white and anti-Italian bias, as the ad made no mention of the North End and showed no Italian-Americans.
The lawsuit states that the only white men in the ad were players for the Boston Red Sox.
The group claims the North End is not listed on the all-inclusive campaign website. At the time of writing, a North End section is live on the site.
The lawsuit also cites Mayor Wu’s jokes at South Boston’s annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in 2022, in which she said, “I’m getting used to dealing with issues that are expensive, disruptive, and WHITE.”
Restaurant owner Frank DePasquale said Italian Americans “would be discriminated against by the new rules.”
In 2022, North End restaurants were not allowed to open al fresco until May, while the rest of Boston’s restaurants could dine on the terrace in April
Pat Mendoza, the chef at Monica’s Trattoria, is a party to the lawsuit. He is pictured here with actor Steve Carell in September 2022
Boston’s outdoor dining program, launched early in the coronavirus pandemic to boost business at struggling restaurants, has become permanent, albeit with some stricter rules to meet the unique challenges of the city’s North End.
“Alfresco dining has expanded to keep our businesses open during the pandemic and has become a popular way to enjoy our streets and each other’s company,” Wu said in a February statement.
The different rules in the North End are a response to the particular problems of the neighborhood and its maze of narrow streets, city officials said.
Attracting visitors from around the world, the North End has the highest concentration of restaurants in the state, with 95 locations spread over just over a third of a square mile.
Restaurants in other neighborhoods will pay between $199 and $399 a month, depending on whether they have a liquor license or not, for the right to set up tables outside in 2023
The North End plaintiffs are seeking $500,000 in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages
The lawsuit also cites Mayor Wu’s jokes at South Boston’s annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in 2022, in which she said, “I’m getting used to dealing with issues that are expensive, disruptive, and WHITE.”
The complaint fails to mention the punchline of the joke, which read, “I’m talking about snowflakes, snowflakes, blizzards.” . Snowflakes.’
Unregulated al fresco dining poses challenges related to traffic, access for public safety vehicles, sanitation and quality of life for residents. Traffic is expected to worsen this summer due to major construction projects nearby.
Nick Varano, owner of the neighborhood restaurant Strega, was not happy with the city’s plan.
“I don’t think that’s very fair and it puts us at a disadvantage compared to other neighborhoods in the city,” he told the Boston Herald in February.
“We’ve incorporated what we’ve learned over the past several years into the permanent program and are committed to working with our neighborhoods to make this program a success,” Wu said last month.
While at least one local resident said she was relieved by the new rules.
“COVID is done.” The restaurants were doing fine before. After that they will be fine. We’re a neighborhood, not a district, where you go out and dance all night. “We want to shop at CVS and go to the bank without having to eat out,” Darlene Romano told the Globe.
In the same article, the owner of Aquitaine and Metropolis in Boston’s South End described the regulations as “reasonable and appropriate.”
The North End plaintiffs are seeking $500,000 in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages.