It’s the biggest story in Boston politics — a scandal that’s been brewing in City Hall ever since John Lynch, a former employee at the Boston Planning and Development Agency, admitted that he took a $50,000 bribe from a developer and, in return, convinced a member of Boston's Zoning Board of Appeal to allow a project in South Boston to move forward, thereby netting the developer in question an extra $500,000.
The scandal is still unfolding. Depending on where it goes next, it could spell trouble for Boston Mayor Marty Walsh if and when he seeks a third term. But one thing is already clear: Lynch’s guilty plea, and the surrounding circumstances detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, raise troubling questions about the way development has worked in the city for decades.
Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly talk it over with Yawu Miller, the senior editor of the Bay State Banner, who’s reported extensively on how Boston development seems to favor the well-connected and leave ordinary residents feeling powerless and frustrated.
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