Clancy camp cleared in signature charge

LYNN – The Essex County District Attorney’s Office has ruled the Edward J. Clancy Jr. camp did not violate Massachusetts General Laws with their campaign flier dealing with Judith Flanagan Kennedy’s signature on a North Shore Labor Council questionnaire dealing with taxes.Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said Senior Appellate attorney Cathy Semel’s opinion, which was reviewed by Appellate Chief Elin Grydon, stated that no false statements were made in the campaign literature.”We were asked to review a very narrow situation dealing with the allegations of a criminal act,” Blodgett said Tuesday. “The action of the Clancy Committee did not commit a crime. No false statements were made.”Kennedy last month filed a criminal complaint with Lynn police over a flier mailed by the Clancy campaign. The flier replicated a North Shore Labor Council survey sheet that asked mayoral candidates how they might raise municipal revenues. The property tax choice was highlighted. Kennedy’s signature appeared beneath the survey question.The actual survey sheet provided no place for a signature. Kennedy had signed the labor council’s petition in support of workers’ right to organize. Clancy acknowledged his campaign workers designed the flier by merging the two documents. The mayor said doing so seemed acceptable since the petition and the survey were part of the same package.Asked about the DA’s conclusion prior to her election night victory speech, Mayor-elect Judith Flanagan Kennedy said she has not had time to review the ruling Tuesday.