The expressions of affection from a politician now come with allegations of corruption.
The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) has awarded a lucrative contract to Conan Harris, who happens to be the husband of Massachusetts Democrat Ayanna Pressley.
Harris is identified as part of “Dream Development partners and investors,” the firm selected by the BPDA to work alongside Beals. This information was highlighted in a report on Monday, September 15th.
According to an unnamed insider, “They just gradually dismissed the community opposition.” The BPDA and zoning board reportedly approved the plans without adequately addressing local concerns, possibly influenced by the developer’s identity.
Boston’s Democratic mayor, Michelle Wu, recently granted a $250 million affordable housing contract to Dream Development, co-led by Conan Harris, who has a questionable past involving clothing trafficking.
Pressley has previously criticized President Donald Trump, talking about “pay-to-play corruption” in June. She might find that the tables have turned on her now. “If this isn’t corruption, what is?” she had asked.
In another case, former Democrat Rep. Kori Bush from Missouri paid her husband’s salary for unclear services amid complaints about campaign financing.
This brings to mind Tim Mynett, the husband of Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, who married her in 2020. Omar severed her financial ties to his consulting firm after facing scrutiny, although it was revealed that she funneled significant funds to him from her campaign.
Mynett and his partner, Naeem Mohd, allegedly promised a tripling of a $300,000 investment in California wineries but failed to deliver. Court documents suggest Mynett was aware the claim was misleading, as Mohd claims the promised returns never materialized.
Mynett has also faced additional lawsuits regarding a failed marijuana initiative, although he wasn’t a named defendant in those cases.
Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has come under fire for financial activities, including a payment of $3,700 to a trainer on the same day related House expenditures were recorded. A non-profit watchdog group has claimed she violated federal laws with these payments.
Ocasio-Cortez has reacted strongly, asserting, “That’s completely wrong. It’s not taxpayer money; it’s from the FEC.” Records, however, do not show any payments from her to the mentioned dance company.
A complaint stated that Ocasio-Cortez should have reported these expenses to the FEC, seemingly violating the rules set for campaign finances. The House Ethics Committee has since directed her to pay nearly $3,000 for inappropriate actions taken during the 2021 Met Gala.
Lastly, there’s Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib from Michigan. The House Ethics Committee found she violated campaign finance laws after the 2018 election but noted that her actions weren’t malicious.
In an email from 2018, Tlaib expressed her financial struggles, indicating she considered borrowing from her campaign. The committee has since mandated her to repay $10,800 in campaign funds.
