Joe Mathieu: The head of Boston's Health and Human Services Department, Felix Arroyo, is out of a job this morning, fired by the mayor yesterday following complaints that surfaced [that] he sexually harassed a woman he was supervising.
Joining us to talk about the wider implications of this firing on city government, the mayor's office, the city as a whole, is WGBH News Senior Editor, co-host of the podcast, The Scrum, Peter Kadzis. Good morning, Peter, thanks for being here.
Peter Kadzis: Good morning.
Joe Mathieu: How to start with this. Is this a political case with a human resources element, or an HR case with a political element?
Peter Kadzis: It's both. I suppose in the real world, people in business should understand that this is what happens when the human resource issue spirals out of control. And even though the environment in which it takes place is a public one, an elected one as in city hall, if this had happened to the huge fortune 500 company, like, say GE, who just moved here, there would be big headlines and repercussions as well.
If this case had been better handled, we probably might never have known what was going on.
Joe Mathieu: How could it have been better handled?
Peter Kadzis: Well, the reason I say that is, it had been handled within city hall, and that's why when Arroyo was suspended there was ... a cone of silence around the case, because it was a personnel matter that was being investigated.
The fact that the woman who filed the complaint went to the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination, the MCAD, suggests that she either felt threatened or unsatisfied with where things were going. That's what I meant by mishandled. From an human resources point of view. You don't want people going public, whether it's in city hall or whether it's in private industry.
Joe Mathieu: We should note that Felix Arroyo has denied these allegations from the start. The mayor has been accused of taking too long, essentially. And many are asking what he knew, and when he knew it.
Peter Kadzis: Well, that will become a key question, or could become a key question. The reason I say that is last night when this news broke I talked to a number of Boston City Councilors past and present, and they told me, in effect, that Felix Arroyo was long been known to have a complicated personal life.
It's his business, but it now becomes a public issue because, like with Bill Clinton, it has entered the public realm. So, the question you ask is is on the money. It's not only now, but, previously, what, if anything, did the mayor know about this or about conduct like this? And you're right. Arroyo has been found guilty of nothing.
Joe Mathieu: Mayor Walsh is going into a reelection campaign here. Does this dent him politically, and, Peter, will anyone even remember this when we come back after Labor Day?
Peter Kadzis: People won't forget this. First of all, in the course of my reporting even before yesterday women in City Hall, women in public life, even women who are friends or friendly well-disposed towards Arroyo take this stuff pretty seriously.
Also, the dynamic of the campaign is such that the Boston primary is in late September. You've got four candidates running, two of whom are really symbolic candidates. The real race won't get going till October 1. And while Tito Jackson, his opponent, doesn't have a lot of money, I can't see how he won't try to make this an issue.
Joe Mathieu: Does this indicate, lastly, any greater issue at City Hall or within his department?
Peter Kadzis: Well, it's hard to say, Joe. I mean I think this provides a wedge to come in and look at the Walsh administration from another angle. For example, who did Felix Arroyo replace? It's pretty widely known that he got the job in the administration by swinging his support to Mayor Walsh. Typical political behavior. Nothing really wrong with this. But he replaced a woman, Barbara Ferrer, who was a Menino appointee, who is a PhD, with incredible experience in public health. Now this will reopen the issue of, was Felix Arroyo really qualified for this job? Now that has nothing to do with the accusations on the table. But I have a hard time imagining that the press in the city won't use this as a way to open up questions to take a look at the Walsh administration.
Joe Mathieu: And just to wrap, Peter, do you expect the mayor will speak or do you think he should speak more on this imminently?
Peter Kadzis: I don't know. If I were the mayor I would take my lawyer's advice ... There's a process to go through with the Mass Commission Against Discrimination, and he's safest following that process.
Joe Mathieu: Peter Kadzis, the man we talk to when things get political. He is the co-host of the podcast The Scrum and WGBH News senior editor. Peter, thank you for coming in this morning.
CORRECTION: Barbara Ferrer, former chief of the Boston Health Commission, holds a PhD -- not an MD as reported.. The story has been corrected.
