BOSTON — Court documents state that defendants in the Boston Calling extortion case said Boston Mayor Marty Walsh wanted to find a way to "bring everyone to the table", meaning union workers.
The documents were filed as part of the extortion case against Kenneth Brissette and Timothy Sullivan, alleging they strong armed Top Chef production crew and Boston Calling into hiring union workers.
The court document says that the defendants stated to Crash Line Productions that "the mayor had a background in working with unions and wanted to find a way to bring everyone to the table to get everyone working together." The defendants then allegedly told Crash Line that half their crew had to be IATSE members, saying if it did not happen, they would picket and come with "the blow up rat."
The mayor says he was in the room in some of these meetings, but he adamantly denies ever hearing the two staffers try to push the production company to use specific union workers.
"One of the meetings is talking about a beer pen where alcohol was served. In the past you had to drink in a segregated area and we opened and the second meeting, I think was about how do we move forward and have a good positive festival," said Wash.
The documents are part of a motion to dismiss the case against the city workers.
Cox Media Group
