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The Boston Globe reported earlier this month about the alleged incidents that police looked into in 2005 and 2007 when Arroyo was 18 and 19, respectively. No charges were filed in either case, and Arroyo said police never spoke to him about the probes. Though a 2005 police report contradicts this, the Globe reported. He denies any wrongdoing in those cases and accuses DA Kevin Hayden of leaking the reports to the press just weeks ahead of the election.
On Tuesday, Aug. 30, the woman who accused him in 2007 when they were both in high school broke said electing Arroyo would be a mistake. She said she was reluctant to come forward until she heard Arroyo push back against the claims.
“It makes me feel sick, sick to my stomach,” she told the Boston Globe. “I see so many people continuing to endorse him without finding out more. As the potential DA, women are not going to feel safe calling his office. Their cases won’t get heard. ... All those people will be afraid to come forward.”
The newspaper did not release her name.
Supporters of Arroyo who had stood by him through the scandal deserted him following the woman's comments.
Boston Mayor Wu called the accusations "deeply troubling" in a note on Twitter.
"The allegations by someone who was a minor at the time are deeply troubling to me, as is newly reported information on anonymous threats she received in the past. For the District Attorney to advance the reforms our communities deserve, the office must have our communities' trust and confidence. I can no longer make a public recommendation for a candidate for this office."
Though, Wu made it clear that her reversal was not an endorsement of DA Hayden. She said she still has "serious concerns about Mr. Hayden's judgment in prosecuting cases."
About an hour after Wu rescinded her endorsement, Massachusetts Democratic senators followed suit.
"The accusations in this case are serious, and in light of the latest victim statements reported in Tuesday evening's Boston Globe, we have notified the campaign that we are rescinding our endorsement of Ricardo Arroyo for District Attorney," they posted in a note on Twitter.
Arroyo said Tuesday night at a Boston City Council meeting that he has no plans to drop out of the race. He reiterated that the report was politically motivated.
The vote for Suffolk County District Attorney is on Sept. 6.
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