Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo speaks to reporters at a press conference Wednesday. Photo: Chris Fama/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston City Councilor and Suffolk County D.A. Candidate Ricardo Arroyo has lost endorsements after sexual assault allegations surfaced against him this week.
A bombshell Boston Globe report on Tuesday detailed two police reports on Arroyo from his late teens, one in 2005 and one in 2007. Arroyo has forcefully denied the accusations, saying he never knew about them until last week and that he was never "questioned" by the police in either instance.
"I have never assaulted anyone," he said in a press conference on Wednesday.
A handful of Arroyo's peers have now rescinded their endorsements. That includes fellow City Council members Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy.
Murphy said that she would "not stand quietly by because it is the safe thing for me to do poltiically...my daughter and sons are watching me." Former U.S. Congressman Joe Kennedy III also rescinded his endorsement, as did Iron Workers Local 7 according to Politico.
City Councilors Kendra Lara and Tania Fernandes Anderson both appeared beside Arroyo at the conference as a show of support.
The alleged accuser from 2007 has since recanted, and told reporters through a lawyer that she supported Arroyo over current D.A. Kevin Hayden during the press conference.
Both Arroyo and the woman are claiming that the allegations are part of a smear campaign by Hayden or someone associated with him.
In response to a request for details on the cases, Hayden's office said that it has "confirmed the existence and status of the investigations," but had no further comment.
WBZ's Chris Fama (@CFamaWBZ) was at the press conference:
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App