The City on a Hill took a bit of a stumble after local authorities closed in on one of their own with some grave charges.
The FBI arrested a Boston city councilor early Friday morning at her home, according to WCVB-TV.
On-site reporters noted that the arrest happened around 6 a.m., while capturing video of the arrest:
EXCLUSIVE: 5 Investigates was outside the Dorchester home of Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson when she was arrested early Friday by FBI agents. https://t.co/4CpDmjL3cS
…#Boston #CityCouncil #FBI #Arrest #Dorchester pic.twitter.com/z0Wkdat9MA— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) December 6, 2024
Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, a Democrat who represents Boston’s District 7 (which includes locales like Dorchester and Fenway), was arrested by FBI agents on a number of charges.
Those charges include:
- Five federal counts of wire fraud
- One federal count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds
Anderson’s scheme effectively boiled down to her giving one of her staffers extra bonus money, with that staffer then sending a chunk of that money back to the councilor.
“These six felony charges stem from an alleged kickback scheme that she orchestrated to obtain several thousand dollars in taxpayer money in exchange for a bribe she paid to a staffer who she gave a very large bonus,” U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy described.
While Anderson’s saga appears left for the judicial system to untangle, it’s worth noting how polarizing of a figure she’s been despite being a relatively small-time — at least in the broader political landscape — city councilor.
Journalist Aidan Kearney, for instance, swiftly took to social media to call out Anderson over their long-simmering feud.
“I’ve been exposing this lying psychotic fraud Boston City Councillor Tania Fernandes Anderson for years,” he posted Friday. “Today she was arrested by the FBI. Here she was in 2022 defending her alleged rapist friend Ricardo Arroyo who was running for DA.
“‘What the f*** do I have to do in this f***ing council to get some respect as a black woman?’
“Maybe stop being such a ratchet.”
Kearney’s post, including an (unedited) vulgar video of the Anderson tirade, can be seen here.
But it’s not just Kearney.
Back in January, Anderson actually incurred the wrath of Chaya Raichik, who is perhaps better known as the conservative content creator “Libs of TikTok.”
Meet Boston Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson (@Tania4D7), a radical activist and an immigrant from West Africa. During her swearing in, she refused to repeat the oath and raise her hand. She hates this country and constitution.
She previously offered resolutions for 9/23 to be… pic.twitter.com/bvQJFKWN5s
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 3, 2024
“Meet Boston Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson (@Tania4D7), a radical activist and an immigrant from West Africa,” Raichick posted on Jan. 3. “During her swearing in, she refused to repeat the oath and raise her hand.
“She hates this country and constitution.
“She previously offered resolutions for 9/23 to be ‘Boston’s Hijab Day’ and for Boston to apologize for the Atlantic Slave Trade.
“She also has a history of anti-white racist tweets where she complains about white people holding government positions.
“She married a convicted murderer while he was in prison for life.
“She referred to the Oct 7 [Hamas] attacks as simply a ‘military operation.’
“She hates America.”
While it’s unclear just how much regard Anderson may or may not have for America, if there’s any truth to these allegations, it’ll be clear she has very little regard for America’s laws.
