Former Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon
Disgraced former Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon is pointing a finger — and it’s of little surprise it’s pointed right at Mayor William Manzi. At the Civil Service Commission hearing today (where Solomon is petitioning to get his job back after being fired last year), Solomon’s attorney revealed he has subpoenaed the FBI for information about their investigation of Manzi.
According to Eagle-Tribune Reporter J.J. Huggins, who was at the hearing and is on his way back to the newsroom to file a story, Solomon’s attorney is seeking to dig up info on an allegation made to the FBI that Manzi asked local businessman Michael Neve for $15,000 in exchange for a zoning variance. Manzi has denied the allegations and Neve previously testified that he was the one who offered Manzi $15,000 for the variance and that Manzi refused. Aside from the testimony of Neve and Manzi, the only other source that we know of at this point in regards to the bribery allegation comes from Solomon himself, who says someone called him to tip him off about the alleged money offer 12 days before he was placed on administrative leave.
As the Civil Service hearing moves ever closer toward Solomon’s upcoming testimony, however, it’s clear the former chief is looking to turn the attention onto the mayor.
Is Manzi still under investigation? The FBI won’t say, although current Methuen Police Chief Katherine Lavigne previously testified that although the FBI didn’t say the case was closed, they told her “the case was going nowhere.”
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Methuen Mayor William Manzi
Noah R. Bombard is the new media editor for The Eagle-Tribune in North Andover. He is a former award-winning newspaper and magazine editor who has been covering news in Massachusetts since 1997.