Baker: Allegations vs. son A.J. ‘serious’
Announces U.S. attorney-led review
The U.S. attorney’s office is leading an independent review into an incident involving Gov. Charlie Baker’s son aboard a JetBlue flight from Washington, D.C., to Boston last week, the governor said.
Baker told reporters at a brief press conference yesterday morning his son A.J. is cooperating with federal authorities as they investigate the incident from Wednesday.
“I expect a thorough review to take place,” Baker said. “We also expect the review will be fair and completely independent from this office. State authorities are not involved in this matter. We are looking forward to a full and complete and independent review by the U.S. attorney’s office.
“I love my son, but obviously these allegations are serious and they require an independent review, which is why he will cooperate with the U.S. attorney’s office,” Baker said.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston declined to confirm or deny the investigation.
JetBlue said crew on a flight from Washington to Boston were notified of an incident between passengers shortly before landing. The aircraft landed at about 11 p.m., where it was met by local authorities.
No charges have been filed. A.J. Baker is being represented by attorney Roberto Braceras at Goodwin Procter.
Baker deflected questions from reporters about how his son is doing, what his son told him about the incident and whether he believed he’d be cleared after the feds review the matter.
“Look, I love my son, but this review needs to be done by the U.S. attorney’s office. A.J. needs to cooperate, and we expect that is what is going to happen,” Baker said.
The governor’s primary challenger, Scott Lively, a controversial Trump-backing minister and attorney from Springfield, said he believes stories about Baker’s children should be off-limits.
Lively, who is suing Baker and the Massachusetts GOP, raised concerns about the reported presence of the state police at Logan International Airport after the flight and the fact that charges have not yet been filed.
“The question of whether equal justice under law happened in this case is a legitimate matter of public concern. It’s to that point I’m commenting. I don’t think that any other person would have gotten off without being charged,” Lively said on Herald Radio yesterday. “If this was your next-door neighbor that had these allegations and was met at the airport by the police and I think the FBI as well, would your next-door neighbor have been released without any charges? I don’t think that’s the case.”