Candidate takes council beef to court

LYNN – City Council candidate Ariana Murrell-Rosario wants a judge to order the names of five elected officials and one former councilor stricken from the Sept. 17 election ballot, claiming the six violated nomination paper requirements outlined in state law.Her attorneys? arguments in Newburyport Superior Court Thursday afternoon will come in the wake of an Aug. 6 Lynn Election Commission vote rejecting Murrell-Rosario?s allegations.?We expect the court will move this along quickly, given the timing of the election,” said Andrew Cashman, an Augusta, Maine attorney representing Murrell-Rosario.Four election commissioners sided with city Assistant Solicitor James Lamanna?s Aug. 6 opinion stating that the law requiring nomination paper notarization was never adopted by the city of Lynn and, as a result, does not apply to local elections.But Murrell-Rosario, a Baltimore Street resident who runs a Lewis Street tax preparation business, claims councilors Darren Cyr, William Trahant Jr., Richard Colucci, Brendan Crighton, School Committee member Rick Starbard and former councilor Paul Crowley, who is running for reelection, violated notary requirements.Cashman on Tuesday said the elected officials and Crowley did not obtain proper notarization on their nomination papers or properly fill out a statement printed on the petition papers candidates ask voters to sign to get candidates? names placed on the ballot.Colucci on Tuesday said he is aware of the Superior Court hearing and said he is satisfied with the Election Commission?s nomination paper ruling.?The Law Department said we?re all good,” Colucci said.Crighton, Cyr and Crowley could not be reached for comment.Starbard on Tuesday called Murrell-Rosario “a flat-out liar.”?It?s absolutely embarrassing she is questioning (City Clerk?s employee) Mary Gokas and myself. I cannot believe she is wasting people?s time with this,” he said.Trahant, in a telephone message, said Murrell-Rosario “doesn?t seem to want to campaign.”?It seems to be a path of hers. She seems to want to make everybody?s life miserable,” he said.Murrell-Rosario is running for the Ward 4 seat held by Colucci. Both candidates? names are slated to appear on the Sept. 17 ballot but the Nov. 5 final election will determine who will represent ward voters.Lamanna told election commissioners on Aug. 6 that Murrell-Rosario?s nomination paper objections “are wrong as a matter of law.” Cashman on Tuesday said “it is not up to the city of Lynn to pick and choose which part of the law they are going to comply with.”