Attorney General v. McHatton

The issue in this case is whether felony convictions of the defendant, while he was a police officer in the city *791of Chelsea, of Federal income tax evasion constitute “misconduct in office” under a provision of the Chelsea city charter thereby disqualifying him from holding the elective office of city councillor. We conclude that the defendant is barred from holding the office.

The background of the case is as follows. In 1975, or thereabouts, the defendant was appointed a police officer in Chelsea, and in the mid-1980’s, he was promoted to the rank of captain and became commander of the vice…