Embattled Lawrence mayor facing no-confidence vote amid mounting criminal charges

LAWRENCE, Mass. — Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña is expected to face a vote of no confidence during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting as he continues to battle nearly 30 state and federal criminal charges.

DePeña was most recently accused of secretly recording two city employees and sharing the video with others, allegations that led to more than a dozen new charges being filed against him at both the state and federal levels.

Federal prosecutors have also alleged that DePeña misused federal pandemic relief loan funds for personal benefit. He faces 11 counts of pandemic loan fraud, accused of obtaining a $1.5M small business loan for his tire sales business.

“These are not administrative or procedural charges. They go to the integrity of how this government operates, and to whether the people who work in this building can trust that their conversations, their workplace, and their safety from retaliation are respected by the person at the top,” City Council President Jeovanny Rodriguez wrote in a Facebook post.

Despite the mounting legal troubles, DePeña has made it clear he has no plans to resign and has said that he is prepared to “vigorously defend” himself against the charges.

DePeña has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. He is also scheduled to appear in court next month to face the state charges.

City councilors are scheduled to consider a vote of no confidence during Tuesday evening’s meeting.

“The Council takes this measure seriously. The proceeding will be conducted openly, ensuring residents can witness how their representatives address this matter. We encourage the public to attend,” Rodriguez wrote in a post announcing the planned vote.

While such a vote would formally express the council’s lack of support, it would not remove DePeña from office or force him to resign.

The meeting is expected to draw significant attention as residents and city leaders weigh the mayor’s future amid the mounting allegations.

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