City Council President Maureen Feeney just announced the council will postpone a meeting on Councilor Chuck Turner, to prevent Turner and his backers from turning it into "a stage for the political theater" and because Turner has yet to be indicted.
"We will take no action based on a mere arrest," she said. "Let's all pray there isn't an indictment. But if there is, we will all need to take further action."
Instead, a council committee and city lawyers will take a look at what to do if Turner is indicted. That could include censure or voting to ask Turner to quit. She is also establishing a new committee on ethics to address such issues for the future, because the city charter doesn't explicitly state what to do in a case like that.
Feeney denied shutting down Turner's phones or computers on Friday. "My interest is to ensure the residents of City Council District 7 continue to receive representation and access to city services."
She also denied putting off action because of lawsuit threats from Turner. "We are not easily intimidated, I can assure you." She said today's meeting was not to try to force Turner out, but to figure out what to do in coming weeks.
However, she did acknowledge stripping Turner of his chairmanship of the education and human-rights committee. She said this allows the committees to continue their work "unfettered" and not "distracted" at a time when the School Department is looking at significant restructuring.
