Following months of what one attorney calls "false allegations” targeting the city clerk of Springfield, Mass., a city councilor is formally being asked to quit it.
Known for her work as both city clerk and Springfield's election commissioner, Gladys Oyola-Lopez has enlisted a law firm to publicly issue a request: specifically for City Councilor At Large, Justin Hurst.
“Miss Oyola-Lopez has spent her distinguished career as a public servant, doing everything in accordance to law - we're here today to demand that Mr. Hurst stop harassing my client, and if he does not, we will view every single legal option we have and take action accordingly,” said attorney Zack Vargo.
A "sustained campaign of harassment"
Standing before the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse in Springfield Thursday, Vargo laid out a timeline of what he called a "campaign of harassment" by Hurst.
For months, the city councilor has been criticizing and scrutinizing Oyola-Lopez on a number of issues.
They range from Springfield's election office issuing incomplete (unofficial) vote totals last year to Oyola-Lopez's status as board chair of the New North Citizens' Council - and whether that interferes or with her work with the city council, given her role of setting agendas and the fact that the NNCC periodically receives grants approved by the council.
Vargo says the accusations are false and “erroneous,” especially since Oyola-Lopez is not compensated for her role at the NNCC.
He added that the city's own legal department informed her that her NNCC work did not require disclosures, another matter Hurst has questioned.
The attorney also stated that insinuations of vote total manipulation during last November’s elections were unfounded.
As The Reminder newspaper reported in April, Oyola-Lopez says the issues at the center of Hurst’s allegations stem from an election night error - one in which vote totals from certain precincts did not appear in certain tallies for a window of time.
“My client has spent her career administering elections in the city and has been the city clerk for some time - [Oyola-Lopez] has cooperated fully with every state inquiry into any matter and these matters specifically,” Vargo said. “She has not sought public attention and we're not seeking a public fight with Mr. Hurst today. But, she will not stay silent while her name continues to be used in public and has accusations placed on her that have no basis in fact.”
The attorney also touched on Hurst’s 2023 mayoral campaign, one roiled by accusations of “individuals” offering money to voters in exchange for supporting Hurst during early voting.
Given her position as election commissioner, Oyola-Lopez reported the allegations, leading to Hurst later claiming she “exercised bias against him,” Vargo said.
Councilor At Large Hurst responds
When asked for comment, Hurst told WAMC that he intends to continue to “fight for the residents of Springfield” and bring up issues as he comes across them.
Regarding the matter of vote tally discrepancies, Hurst called the entire incident “problematic." It has also been the subject of a subcommittee he leads.
“The question was 'How did it happen? Why did it happen?'” he said during a phone interview Thursday, hours after the press conference. “This is not something that Justin was asking for - there were a number of organizations and residents who were interested as to what happened. The idea that this is a ‘Justin versus Gladys’ thing is just incorrect. We want to identify the problem, we want to rectify the problem and we want to ensure that it never happens again.”
The councilor also maintains that while Oyola-Lopez may not benefit from chairing NNCC’s board via a salary, he argues she technically has a financial interest in some of its business. Specifically, via a limited liability company (LLC) involved in the redevelopment of the city's former Brightwood Elementary School – an effort to convert it into senior housing that involves the NNCC.
Per the state’s LLC database, the “Brightwood Elderly Living Loving Assistance” LLC lists Oyola-Lopez as a “manager,” along with the NNCC’s executive director, Vanessa Otero.
Attorney Vargo says Hurst plans on introducing an order Monday seeking outside legal counsel to scrutinize a proposed $100,000 appropriation intended for the redevelopment.
WAMC notes that both attorneys for Oyola-Lopez as well as the NNCC have said Hurst’s assertions do not paint a complete picture.
The LLC, also referred to as “BELLA,” is wholly-owned by the NNCC. According to the non-profit’s own documentation, BELLA serves as a “ownership and governance vehicle for the project,” representing the non-profit in its joint-venture with affordable housing developer, “MPZ Development, LLC,” a completely separate entity also working on the school redevelopment.
The city council’s next meeting is slated for Monday, July 27, at 6:30 p.m.
