Cambridge City Councilor Paul Toner, recently implicated as a client in a brothel operation spanning multiple cities, has been removed from multiple key committee positions. According to a NBC Boston report, Toner was stripped of his chair and co-chair roles in five city committees by Mayor E. Denise Simmons on March 26. This decision, which Toner has accepted, removes him from leading the city's finance, public safety, economic development and university relations, government operations, and ordinance committees. However, Toner retains his position as chair of the Special Committee on Charter Review.
During a city council meeting, Toner expressed contrition for his involvement in the case but refused to resign. In a statement obtained by NBC Boston, he said, "First, I'm ashamed to have my name associated with this case," and, "I would like to apologize to my fellow councilors and my supporters in the community for taking up time with the council and the public discourse in this matter." Despite the controversy, Toner emphasized his duty: "I've been an effective councilor who has carried out my official duties during my time in office to the best of my abilities," he added. "I am here because I have a duty to fulfill my obligations to the voters who elected me."
Concurrently reported by The Crimson, the shakeup in committee leadership was a notable shift, given Mayor Simmons had previously called Toner a "strong legislative partner" and encouraged the "presumption of innocence as the legal proceedings unfold." Toner's removal has shifted the balance of committee chairmanships leaving half of them which were previously co-chaired by Toner, to now be led by a single councilor. Patricia M. "Patty" Nolan will now chair the Finance Committee, while Ayesha M. Wilson has taken over the Public Safety and Economic Development Committees. Vice Mayor Marc C. McGovern takes the helm at the Ordinance and Government Operations Committees.
The decision to remove Toner from his positions followed intense pressure from both the public and fellow councilors, as calls for his resignation grew louder after his charge for sexual conduct for a fee was revealed. Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, among others, had publicly urged Mayor Simmons to reassess Toner's leadership roles. "Given that Councillor Toner is a chair of the majority of the Council's committees, I also ask that Mayor Simmons reassign Councillor Toner's six committee chair positions to ensure that the Council's work is not obstructed," Sobrinho-Wheeler elaborated in their statement obtained by The Crimson.
Despite the reassignments, Toner is set to maintain his co-chair position on the Charter Review Committee alongside Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui as they work on reassessing the city's form of government.
