Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña pleaded not guilty Tuesday to state wiretapping and witness intimidation charges, adding a second criminal case to the federal one already hanging over City Hall.

In Essex Superior Court in Salem, DePeña faced 14 counts of distributing a wiretapped communication and one count of witness intimidation. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell's office alleges he installed private cameras in his City Hall office that recorded audio as well as video, which the city's own security cameras don't do. One camera allegedly caught a hallway conversation between two municipal employees, at least one of whom didn't know they were being recorded. Prosecutors say DePeña then shared the recording with 14 people, including local radio hosts, political allies, and city councilors. They also allege he intimidated a witness in August.

This comes on top of a federal indictment accusing him of fraudulently obtaining $1.6 million in pandemic relief loans, to which he also pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Neil Faigel, argued outside court that the mayor "is not an IT person" and had no idea how the cameras worked. DePeña was released on personal recognizance, his next hearing is Dec. 9, and he has repeatedly said he won't resign.

So what happens next? The City Council delayed a no-confidence vote last week, and a second indictment makes that vote harder to keep postponing. A no-confidence vote has no legal force, but it would add real pressure on a mayor who has so far shrugged off the first indictment. Watch whether the council moves in the coming weeks.

Full story at Boston Globe →

Former Steward clinicians face financial ruin as their malpractice insurer collapses. TRACO, Steward Health Care's in-house malpractice insurer, is effectively broke after being looted by Steward executives. That leaves doctors like 82-year-old Haverhill physician Dr. Peter Rees, who's facing a February trial, exposed to legal fees and potentially multimillion-dollar judgments. A coalition of clinicians is now asking Governor Maura Healey's administration for emergency action to backstop their coverage. Two years ago, state officials called these same workers "true heroes." Boston Globe →

Question 4 would let you register to vote on Election Day. Right now, you have to register at least 10 days ahead. If voters approve the measure, eligible citizens could register at their polling place starting in 2028, showing proof of residency and signing an oath under penalty of felony. Supporters say it helps renters and students who move often. Opponents say it weakens safeguards against errors and fraud. WBUR →

Question 3 would scrap party primaries. The measure would create a single primary where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party. WBUR's Tiziana Dearing talked through the tradeoffs with Evan Horowitz of Tufts' Center for State Policy Analysis. WBUR →

The state hasn't produced its required traffic-stop racial profiling reports since 2024. The 2019 hands-free driving law required annual analysis of demographic data from traffic stops, a provision pushed by the NAACP and ACLU. Public Safety Secretary Gina Kwon told a Senate committee the last round of bids "greatly exceeded" the state's budget. Two reports have come out so far, covering 2020 through 2022. WBUR →

John Deaton's biggest hurdle against Sen. Ed Markey may be the man in the White House. The Republican challenger is pitching himself as an independent-minded problem-solver, telling a Malden retirement home he'll back good ideas "progressive or conservative." Polls show him well behind, and the state hasn't elected a Republican senator since Scott Brown in 2010. Some independents at his stop were open to him, but the national party label is the weight he has to carry. WBUR →

Three red states are suing Massachusetts over its abortion shield law. Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama have asked the US Supreme Court to strike down shield laws in Massachusetts, California, and New York that protect providers who mail abortion medication to patients in states with bans. BU law professor Nicole Huberfeld says the intensity of the clash was entirely predictable. CommonWealth Beacon →

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Candidates

• Zuhair Syed (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 10/9/2026
• Maria Desposito — City Councilor, Malden — Filed: 10/8/2026
• Steven Comei — City Councilor, Haverhill — Filed: 10/7/2026

Change of Purposes

• Cari-Ann Knight — House, 3rd Worcester → Mayoral, Fitchburg — Filed: 10/7/2026

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