Car accident and her evolving narrative render her unfit for office

In the past month, there have been multiple news reports detailing Councilor Kendra Lara’s June 30 car accident. These reports indicate that, according to the police report, she had been without a valid driver’s license for a decade; was driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle; was speeding at more than double the posted limit; had her child in the car without a booster seat, as required by law; and caused damage to private property when her vehicle left the road. In the Aug. 18 Opinion section, columnist Joan Vennochi offered a somewhat lukewarm critique of the councilor’s actions (“Kendra Lara’s car crash raises questions that are relevant to her public role”), while columnist Abdallah Fayyad vehemently argued that Lara remains suitable for her position (“Judge Boston Councilor Kendra Lara on her policies, not her alleged driving missteps”). However, I must express my disagreement — I believe she is unfit for office.

Lara issued a public apology on July 8 that revolved around her learning from “my mistake,” holding herself accountable, and renewing her commitment to her work as an elected official. However, since then her attorney entered a plea of not guilty and, later, filed a motion for dismissal based on procedural grounds, claiming inadequate notice of the charges. Both her actions and evolving narrative raise doubts about her ethics and, ultimately, her fitness for office.

It’s worth noting that I did not support her in the previous election, and I do not intend to vote for her in the upcoming one. Fayyad makes the argument that policies are what matter most. I disagree. For me, policies are important but so are ethics, and I will ultimately vote for a candidate who can pass muster on both accounts.

JOSHUA DIETCH West Roxbury