By Chris Tanaka, WBZ-TV
BOSTON – Boston Councilman Carlos Arroyo continues to fend off attacks in his race for Suffolk County District Attorney, and he’s doing so with a steady, dwindling number of endorsements. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley debated Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden Wednesday night at the Baptist Church Morning Star of Mattapan.
“I feel resilient. I think part of what’s happening here is for voters to understand that this decision was always going to come down to them,” Arroyo said after the debate.
Arroyo is pinning the success of her campaign squarely on two things: those voters and the possible release of police files on sexual assault allegations made against her in 2005 and 2007.
“My hope is to have a record to give them so that we move forward with incontrovertible facts and not my word or somebody else’s word,” he said.
The hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m. Arroyo said he expects the files to be released and promised to share them with the public.
Hayden, who declined to speak afterward, pressed the attack during the debate, moderated by WBZ-TV’s John Keller.
“There’s no way I didn’t know about these allegations. It’s just indisputable at this point,” Hayden said.
Despite the nearly eight minutes devoted to the allegations to start the debate, Arroyo carried the Mattapan hearing at times, promising to abolish minimum sentences and calling for more transparency in the police.
For his part, Hayden leaned on his experience and said voters will decide whether Arroyo’s past should be a factor in their decisions.
These decisions will come on the day of the primaries, September 6.
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