BOSTON — The Josh Kraft campaign is alleging Boston Mayor Michelle Wu violated state campaign finance law by using public funds for political purposes.
The Boston mayoral candidate sent a letter to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance on Wednesday alleging that Wu and her staffers are doing campaign work inside City Hall during work hours.
Kraft wrote he has received reports of staffers, including her Chief of Policy and Planning and members of her press staff, “pitching campaign stories and responding to media inquiries about campaign matters during office hours and using public resources” and collecting signatures.
Kraft further alleges that Wu’s campaign team only has three staff members, 26 fewer than his own and 15 less than her original campaign staff in 2021.
Additionally, Kraft alleges that Wu and her staff are regular users of third-party messaging apps - including Signal - to allow for them to engage in political activity during office hours.
Signal is the app that senior national security officials were using to discuss war plans in a chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
Kraft’s letter continues, stating: “Members of Mayor Wu’s staff calling non-profits leaders, community leaders, and business leaders, during office hours and using public resources to demand they support mayor wu’s campaign and avoid appearing with, or meeting with josh kraft, and threatening to pull city grant funding if they don’t comply.”
Kraft’s campaign is asking OCPF to launch an investigation into these allegations.
Boston 25 News has reached out to Mayor Wu’s office for comment.
The Kraft campaign’s full letter to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance can be read below:
Josh Kraft alleges Mayor Wu in violation of law by doing campaign work during public work hours by Boston 25 Desk on Scribd
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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