The Boston Globe reports that Boston officials are saying Kerry's plans for a Boston Pops concert on the Esplanade during the Democratic convention could violate rules prohibiting political events at the Hatch Shell:
''Some of us are saying, enough already," said the high-level Democrat involved in the convention planning.
Kerry's desire to have the Pop's concert is complicated by the fact that the concert requires a permit from the State Department of Conservation and Recreation which is controlled by Republican Governor Mitt Romney:The questions could escalate the public spat between Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Menino said he was ''extremely disappointed" last weekend when Kerry decided to forgo a speech at the US Conference of Mayors meeting here, rather than cross a Boston police union picket line.
The Hatch Shell is owned by a state trust, and some convention planners interpret the rules governing the property as prohibiting the use of the shell for political purposes. Kerry aides say the event is a top priority for the hometown nominee, but they insist that the concert is devoid of politics and is instead a celebration of Boston and Massachusetts.
''This will be a free event, open to people of all political stripes or none," said Jack Corrigan, Kerry's convention coordinator. ''There is no fund-raising, no political speech-making, just a celebration of Boston."
The spat over the Kerry's Pops concert is further evidence of the rift between Kerry and Mayor Menino."DCR has not made a decision on whether to issue the permit," said Romney communications director Eric Fehrnstrom. ''My understanding is that full consideration of the permit application will not take place until next week."
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