‘YOU NEED IMPARTIAL PEOPLE’
Ex-boss of indicted Walsh aide joins FinCom
With the blessing of Gov. Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin J. Walsh, a longtime City Hall official and the former boss of indicted mayoral aide Tim Sullivan is now working for the watchdog commission that keeps city finances in check — a move that’s raising the eyebrows of two former agency staffers.
Baker quietly appointed former Intergovernmental Affairs chief Jake Sullivan last month to an unpaid five-year position on the Boston Finance Commission, known as FinCom.
Jake Sullivan, who worked in City Hall for 15 years before leaving last April, supervised IGA chief of staff Tim Sullivan during the time federal officials allege he was working with an entertainment czar to strong-arm organizers of the music festival Boston Calling.
“It’s not supposed to be an inside guy, it’s supposed to be an outside guy. You ought to be lily-white to do the kind of work they do,” said Joe Slavet, a former FinCom chair. “In this particular case, the governor may have blown it.”
The agency has five members named by the governor to review all of the city’s contracts and investigate potential wrongdoing, but any links to politicians and staffers they’re supposed to be investigating can undermine the commission’s credibilty, a former FinCom executive director said.
“You need impartial people. You don’t want anyone with close ties to the mayor and the mayor’s administration,” said Jeffrey Conley. “It sounds like a bad appointment. It sends a bad signal to those people who strive for good government.”
Jake Sullivan had no comment on whether his connection to Tim Sullivan, who’s not related to him, will affect his ability to serve on FinCom, but he insisted he would have no problem investigating former co-workers fairly.
“You can ask any number of my colleagues about my impartiality,” Jake Sullivan said.
A Baker spokesman said Sullivan’s record would be an “asset” to FinCom.
“The governor is pleased to appoint Jake Sullivan to the Boston Finance Commission and believes his nearly two decades of public service to the people of the Commonwealth and City of Boston will continue to be an asset going forward,” Baker spokesman Billy Pitman wrote in a statement.
Slavet said governors usually ask mayors who they would like to see on FinCom before making appointments. Pitman would not say who recommended Sullivan and whether Baker’s office talked with Walsh’s office.
Walsh said he did not recall speaking with Baker about Jake Sullivan, but praised his work at City Hall in a statement.
“Jake Sullivan has over 15 years’ experience at City Hall in various positions under two administrations and it is encouraging to learn best practices in city government from qualified, knowledgeable public servants like Jake,” Walsh said. “I congratulate him on his appointment.”
Jake Sullivan, who is now an assistant vice president in Boston University’s office of government and community affairs, said he did not use any elected officials as references when he applied for the post last year and was not aware of anyone recommending him for the position.
“I was looking to get back to government in general and perform public service in my spare time,” he said.