A full investigation by Attorney General Martha Coakley into top mayoral aide Michael Kineavy’s ‘inappropriately’ deleted emails will not be complete until after the mayoral election, according to Thursday statements to The Boston Globe.
Secretary of State William Galvin officially turned over the investigation Thursday to Coakley’s office after completing a state-mandated data recovery of Kineavy’s emails that concluded he may have been deleting them without permission.
Coakley told The Globe that a thorough investigation could not be complete before the general election Nov. 3 – where 16-year incumbent Mayor Thomas Menino faces City-Councilor-At-Large Michael Flaherty.
‘After a review of the recovered records, it is clear that some records were deleted inappropriately and without permission,’ Galvin’s statement said. ‘It is the jurisdiction of the Attorney General’s office to make a determination whether there has been a violation of law.’
‘This will conclude the Supervisor of Records’ review of this matter,’ the statement said.
This marks the latest development in the scandal that has enveloped City Hall this fall, beginning with Galvin’s Sept. 14 order for the City to have the deleted emails recovered in order for the State to determine whether there had been a public records violation.
Coakley, who came on board the investigation at Galvin’s request Oct. 8, said in a statement that the investigation is now officially referred to her office and they intend to move forward with its ‘second phase’ to any lengths necessary.
‘This second phase will focus on determining whether there was any willful, intentional violation of the law,’ the statement said. ‘Our office will carefully review this matter, and we are prepared, if necessary, to take appropriate action to address such violations.’
Flaherty has been consistently harsh in his criticism of the Menino administration with regards to the investigation, which he has dubbed ’emailgate.’
‘These actions by top officials in the mayor’s inner circle are calculated violations of the law on a massive scale and underscore the culture of dishonesty in the Menino administration,’ Flaherty said in a statement about Galvin’s original order in September.
Menino’s press office said in a statement to The Globe Thursday that the City is looking forward to closure on the issue.
‘The City of Boston is encouraged by the progress being made in this e-mail inquiry matter and is cooperating fully with the Attorney General’s Office in the hopes of coming to a final resolution on this issue quickly,’ the statement said.
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