Chuck Turner fights bid to gag him

Embattled City Councilor Chuck Turner yesterday vowed to fight the feds’ proposed gag order barring him from using their evidence to fuel his fiery media assault against them.

John Pavlos, a member of Turner’s legal team, said the gag order the feds sought Monday places unacceptable restrictions on who can see evidence and what can be said about it.

“We’re going to oppose this vigorously,” Pavlos said.

The Roxbury pol refused to discuss the attempted gag order.

But in a statement, Turner said he “believes that by signing the protective (gag) order, he would be giving the opportunity to U.S. Attorney’s Office to continue to leak alleged evidence to the press without any threat or challenge.”

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office could not be reached.

Turner was indicted last month for allegedly taking a $1,000 bribe to help secure a liquor license for a Roxbury business man.

Former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, alleged to have taken $23,500 in the same corruption investigation, has consented to the gag order.

If approved, the gag order would also prohibit Charles B. Swartwood III, an independent fact-finder appointed by the City Council in December, from reviewing any video recordings of undercover officers, grand jury transcripts, private financial records and the identities of cooperating witnesses.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1143598

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