Boston City Hall attorney placed on paid leave after announcing bid to challenge Mayor Wu

The Wu administration has placed a city attorney on paid administrative leave days after he released he was challenging Michelle Wu for Boston mayor John Houton who has worked in the city s law department for the past years and is listed on the city payroll as assistant corporation counsel announced he sees the Wu administration s move to place him on leave as an intimidation tactic or attempt to keep him off the mayoral ballot I feel the pressure I feel the intimidation -year-old Houton notified the Herald It s taking me away from what I should be doing now gathering signatures Houton s leave which he reported was communicated to him in a meeting with city agents last Friday and was authenticated by the mayor s office on Tuesday was first shared by Commonwealth Beacon Now there s other city employees both in the previous electoral contest and in this vote that the mayor has supported and advanced and celebrated their right as an employee to run for office Houton revealed But evidently that doesn t work for me so they re coming at me If it s to protect Boston and help Boston get get back to basics I m willing to take that hazard Kerry Augustin a City Hall receptionist for the Age Strong Commission has also filed paperwork to run for mayor but has not been placed on leave When required why his job status was being impacted by his run for office when that wasn t the scenario for Augustin or other city employees running for City Council Houton stated the city was trying to pin it on his position as an attorney but that he d let the Wu administration speak for itself At last week s meeting Houton stated he was informed that city administrators had a complication with his status as a candidate and were concerned about ethics and professional responsibility or namely conflict of interest law as an attorney A city spokesperson reported the move was made to keep the law department non-political and sought to distance Mayor Wu from the matter In order to perform its essential functions the law department s work depends on being fully non-political in its operations and importantly the department must be perceived as non-political by cabinet chiefs and department heads seeking advice and counsel Jessicah Pierre a Wu spokesperson stated in a comment Employment decisions relating to Mr Houton a law department official who represents the city s finance department are being handled by the city s office of human materials in consultation with outside counsel Mayor Wu is not involved Houton a South End resident commented he s under review and believes there s an inquiry into the matter of whether his leave should continue as long as he s campaigning He explained the city brought in outside counsel to answer the question of the conflict of interest his candidacy may have created He insists that he s done everything above-board however and sought ethics guidance when he was considering a likely mayoral bid four years ago He also sought advice from his direct supervisor in the city s corporation counsel he disclosed While he s on leave and if he gets on the ballot campaigning city taxpayers will continue to pay his salary which was last year per the city payroll Houton revealed he s a Democrat but believes the city is moving under the wrong direction under the current mayoral administration While Wu supports sanctuary policies which she defended before a Congressional oversight committee in March Houton would assistance the federal administration s crackdown on illegal immigration He also opposes bike lanes and supports strengthening the city s tax base If he makes the ballot Houton would be facing an uphill climb Wu s primary challenger thus far is Josh Kraft a son of the billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and longtime philanthropist