Fall River Mayor Raising Big Money [OPINION]

Mayor Jasiel Correia III is raising big money and making interesting political moves lately. But what is the campaign cash for?

At the end of August, the mayor held a fundraiser at Battleship Cove and hauled in over $55,000 for his political campaign. Prior to that event, his campaign coffers had dwindled down to just over $1,000.

It will be interesting to see what this massive influx of cash will be used for by the mayor.

Most of it will likely go to pay the lawyers he has representing him in a federal investigation that has been going on since the Obama administration.

Earlier in the year, he raised $6,000 in one day from six individuals who each gave him $1,000. That same day his campaign wrote a $3000 check to his legal defense fund. Two days later, on March 19, his campaign committee wrote another check: $5,000 this time to his legal defense fund.

According to reports at the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, his legal defense fund has received over $35,000, and the bulk of that came from a single contribution of $20,000. The donor was JH Holdings Group, LLC of Rhode Island. That corporation is in the legal marijuana business in Fall River. The mayor was instrumental in helping JH Holdings Group set up their marijuana business in his city this year.

Now the Democrat mayor of Fall River has endorsed Republican Governor Charlie Baker in his race to be re-elected as the governor over a Democrat. He is also supporting Republican David Steinhof in his bid to oust Democrat State Representative Carol Fiola in November.

How much of that $55,000 will end up in the legal defense fund remains to be seen.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.