The Boston Globe unveiled on Monday its deep look at the two men jousting for the District 3 City Council seat. With the election a week and a day away, the article contained a mix of new information and new details about previously reported incidents, and likely put both camps in damage control mode.
Here are the highlights:
FRANK BAKER: The Globe details three arrests, happening between 1992 and in 1993. In the first, Baker was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, but was found not guilty. In the second instance, he was pulled over and found to have a “half-burned marijuana cigarette.” That case was dismissed. In the last instance, he was pulled over with two other men. Police found cash and bags of marijuana in the car, and the trio served two years of probation “after pleading guilty to one charge of possession with intent to distribute.” The Baker campaign on Monday morning sent out a lengthy statement from four state representatives who endorsed Baker earlier this fall, including state Reps. Marty Walsh, Carlos Henriquez, Nick Collins and Linda Dorcena Forry, who is married to Reporter managing editor Bill Forry. The four lawmakers said Baker has “never run away from the problems that confronted him as a young adult,” and he was “up front with all of us as he told his story.” They called the story “inspirational” and said Baker turned his life around with help from family and friends 20 years ago. The Reporter has published some information on the last arrest. Earlier this month, Baker told the Reporter that he was hit in his twenties with “three very impactful deaths,” including one of his brothers. “I didn’t know how to handle it,” he said. “And that sent me on a path of using and burying my emotions.”
JOHN O’TOOLE: The Globe reports that O’Toole has “repeatedly fallen behind on his Boston property taxes,” that he currently owes $22,000 in back income taxes, and that a lien has been filed against one of his properties. The Globe noted that after the newspaper asked about the tax delinquency, he paid the $1,531 city bill on Friday. The Globe had previously noted the bill in a story just before the Sept. 27 preliminary. O’Toole told the Globe that he plans to sell an Ashmont Street condo to settle the debts. The Globe also noted that O’Toole has an ongoing civil lawsuit – which the Reporter has written about in detail – and “has been sued more than once by his former business partners.” O’Toole has called the ongoing civil lawsuit baseless. O’Toole admitted to “being ticketed once for underage drinking as a juvenile.” When asked for comment on the Globe story, the O’Toole campaign said he’s on a payment plan for the income taxes. In a statement to the Reporter, O’Toole said, “I am running a household with three children by myself. I am feeling the challenges that a lot of families are facing trying to keep up with a mortgage, paying for tuition, and paying for health insurance etc. There have been some challenges my family and I have had to face beyond our control and I think that people can connect with that.”
