Group looking to recall Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan hits another bump in the road as leader steps down

A group looking to recall Fall River’s mayor has had another setback in their effort to remove him from office.

Nelson Vasquez, chairperson of the Committee to Recall Mayor Paul Coogan, has stepped down from that role.

In an email to Fall River Reporter, Vasquez stated: “Due to unforeseen circumstances on my end today, I have decided to officially step down from the leadership role and move on. I personally wished them the best of luck going forward with their endeavor.”

On Monday, the group held a press conference announcing the beginning of the recall process and awaiting the approval of the affidavit with signatures from the required 10 registered city voters. While the affidavit contained 13 signatures, Corporation Counselor Alan Rumsey determined that it did not contain a needed sworn statement of facts.

The Committee held an organizational meeting last month and officially organized in March, filing a statement of organization with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

If the affidavit eventually gets certified, the completed petition must be returned and filed with the City Clerk within 20 days. The petition must be signed by at least 5% of registered Fall River voters. If the City Clerk certifies the petition as sufficient, the City Council must order a special recall election.

It is currently unclear who will step in for Vasquez, as the group has stated that despite the setbacks, they plan on forging on.