SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) – A political newcomer who ousted indicted two-term state Rep. Christopher Asselin in the Democratic primary says he wants to “restore some decency to the office.”
Asselin, 35, and eight members of his politically connected family, including his wife, mother, father, sister and brothers, were indicted in July on federal corruption charges for allegedly bilking more than $1 million from the Springfield Housing Authority.
Sean Curran, 26, who graduated from law school two years ago and lives with his parents, swept the three-way race in the 9th Hampden District with 2,047 votes, followed by Springfield City Councilor Rosemarie Mazza Moriarty with 1,209.
Asselin was third with 594 votes, or about 15 percent of those cast.
In November, Curran faces Libertarian Robert Underwood, a write-in candidate, in the district that includes some heavily Irish neighborhoods.
“Time and time again an incumbent, who fought the law, will lose against a fresh face who says its time for a change,” said Tobe Berkovitz, a political analyst and communications professor at Boston University.
“Sometimes an incumbent with legal problems can manage to push his way to success if they have a lot of political muscle and a residual of good will,” Berkovitz said. “But don’t put money on it.”
In Asselin’s case, the legal problems were too much to overcome.
“I wouldn’t vote for someone who’s been arrested,” said Larry Turcotte, 80, after casting his ballot at Our Lady of Hope Center.
In his first bid for public office, Curran took dead aim at both Asselin’s legal troubles and the cash-strapped city’s financial woes, maintaining that Mazza Moriarty, as a two-term city councilor, bore some responsibility for the city’s problems.
Mazza Moriarty acknowledged the vote may have reflected “frustration, with the city’s current situation.”
The state’s third-largest city is currently operating under a state control board. The board was established by the state Legislature as a condition of a state bailout, which includes a $52 million line of credit.
Curran said his first priorities would be to correct inequities in distribution of state aid, which city officials say has contributed to the deficits, and to work to protect city workers from calls by Gov. Mitt Romney and his aides to eliminate contract and civil service protections.
Still, Curran characterized the race as being about “who should replace Asselin.”
Asselin, who said he would try again for the seat, called the indictment a “personal problem” that shouldn’t be part of the campaign and accused Curran of “shady muckraking.”
“He is not the person who should be throwing around accusations of shady dealing,” Curran responded.
In a campaign letter to district voters, Asselin maintained he was guilty of nothing more than accepting gifts from his father, Raymond Asselin, who had headed the Springfield Housing Authority for 30 years.
However, federal prosecutors alleged housing authority money paid for a $7,122 copier and a $312 water cooler for his campaign office during Asselin’s 2000 campaign.
They also charged that contractors seeking to do work for the authority were forced to pay for campaign mailings and signs as well as a variety of home improvements including a heated in-ground swimming pool.
