FALL RIVER, MASS. (WHDH) - Who is in charge in Fall River?
Embattled Mayor Jasiel Correia says it is him. However, City Council President Cliff Ponte says he has been acting mayor after last week’s vote to strip Correia of his duties.
The city council met behind closed doors in executive session and decided to take Correia to court to try and remove him from office.
“The council voted tonight to proceed with litigation to enforce it’s September 10, 2019 emergency order,” city counsel attorney Lauren Goldberg told reporters.
The council voted to oust Correia from office following his arrest earlier this month for allegedly trying to shake down those vying to open up marijuana dispensaries in the city.
Despite this, Correia has refused to step aside.
“I’ve continued to maintain my innocence,” Correia said following the results of Tuesday night’s primary election. “These things are totally made up. They are false, there is no proof, there is no evidence.”
Correia is running for reelection. He came in a distant second to two-term school committee member Paul Coogan.
“I called for him to step aside in the recall and I will call for him to step aside now,” Coogan said. “The city needs to do some healing and it will be better with him out.”
The two will now face off in the general election on Nov. 5.
Correia is also facing a federal fraud charge stemming from an arrest in 2018.
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