Lawrence, Massachusetts, Mayor Brian DePeña denies City Hall wiretapping: "Not an IT person"

Lawrence, Massachusetts, Mayor Brian DePeña, who is already facing unrelated federal criminal charges, was arraigned Tuesday on more than a dozen state wiretapping charges.

He's accused of secretly recording people at Lawrence City Hall and distributing that video. DePeña pleaded not guilty in Essex Superior Court in Salem to 14 charges of distribution of a wiretapped communication and one count of witness intimidation.

The mayor's attorney said DePeña maintains his innocence.

"In no way, shape or form do the allegations that were brought forward today have any ramifications on the workings of the City of Lawrence. I'm sure you probably all know that the mayor is the mayor. He's not an IT person," defense attorney Neil Faigel said outside of court.

While leaving the courthouse, the mayor would not respond to questions about his potential resignation.

Prosecutors allege that DePeña had his own private cameras in City Hall capturing audio and video. The specific allegation relates to a video, first made public by a local radio station, between two city employees, one who investigators say did not know they were being recorded.

Investigators said DePeña then shared the video and audio with 14 different people, including local radio hosts, political allies, and members of the Lawrence City Council, according to court documents.

The New England Police Benevolent Association, which represents the Lawrence Police Department, has called for the mayor to resign over the allegedly secret recordings. 

Tuesday outside of court, Faigel said there was a reasonable explanation for the cameras.

"The videos that were installed in City Hall were done by the IT department because of problems with security and perceptions of poor security at City Hall. In no way, shape or form did the mayor have any knowledge to how the videos worked. He did not have passcodes to the videos and he could not access them. That was all up to the IT department," he said.

This past summer, DePeña pleaded not guilty in federal court to allegedly misusing $1.5 million in COVID relief funds.

He has resisted calls for his resignation, despite facing more than two dozen state and federal charges.

City councilors weighed a no confidence vote at a recent meeting.

Following DePeña's latest arraignment, the head of a campaign for a recall of the mayor said they are seeking a no confidence vote again Tuesday night. They will then pursue 7,000 signatures in an effort to get DePeña out of office.