Under a cloud of controversy and a criminal indictment, Fidelina Santiago was sworn-in Tuesday night as a newly-elected member of the city council in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
“I don’t have any comment about it,” said Santiago when asked about the charges she’s facing.
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Just a couple of weeks ago, Santiago and another Lawrence resident, Jennifer Lopez, were both charged with multiple counts of voter fraud in connection with November’s city council election in which Santiago defeated Vladimir Acevedo for a seat to represent District A in the city.
“I think today democracy has failed,” said Acevedo, who held up a sign that read “today the fraud is sealed” outside the inauguration ceremony.
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He says Santiago should not have been allowed to take the seat.
“That was a fraud,” he said.
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City officials say they asked the Secretary of State’s office if Santiago should be sworn in.
“We were assured that even though she has an indictment she does not have a conviction so we were instructed to swear her in which we did do this evening,” said Lawrence City Clerk Eileen Bernal.
The two defendants have not yet been arraigned in court on the charges. They’re each facing 16 counts related to voter fraud.
