Some in home district still backing Wilkerson

See her as victim of biased intent

Yesterday, Senator Dianne Wilkerson's usually bustling Tremont Street campaign headquarters, on the first floor of the Roxse Homes apartment complex, was shuttered. Her campaign manager did not return phone calls. (Globe Staff Photo / Suzanne Kreiter)

Residents of her district have repeatedly propelled state Senator Dianne Wilkerson to reelection despite her history of legal and ethical transgressions, and yesterday not even images of her stuffing money into her clothing were enough to turn away her staunchest supporters.

In interviews, some supporters compared the 16-year incumbent's predicament to that of other black political leaders who have faced arrest, even invoking the name of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who was arrested in Birmingham during the civil rights era. Several people questioned the preelection timing of Wilkerson's case and suggested that she had been singled out for scrutiny by federal investigators.

"It doesn't change my opinion of her," said Zerahiah Israel, 37, of Dorchester, while waiting for a bus at the Dudley MBTA station yesterday. "There are unscrupulous individuals who don't have the interests of our community at heart and would not like to see that kind of strong leadership in the community."

Wilkerson had refused to concede the loss of her seat after falling to Sonia Chang-Diaz in the September Democratic primary, and instead launched a sticker campaign for the general election. Deep-red Wilkerson campaigns signs hung in numerous Roxbury storefronts yesterday, only slightly outnumbered by Barack Obama signs, a testament to her belief that her last-ditch effort would benefit from excitement in the black community over the presidential race.

Israel said he was not registered to vote in time for the September primary, but plans to vote for Wilkerson next week, in spite of her arrest.

"Had we done what we were supposed to do in the primary, she would still be in office with almost no competition," he said.

Jean McGuire, executive director of Metco, the Roxbury-based agency that enables city students to attend suburban schools, said the senator's supporters will be rightly disappointed if Wilkerson is convicted of the charges. But she expressed confidence that they will reserve judgment.

"It's always disappointing if your hopes for somebody don't pan out, but until it is proven otherwise, we hope things go forward," she said in a telephone interview, adding that the allegations should have been aired earlier.

"That's the part I think will fuel people saying: 'Wait a minute. Why didn't they let us know a long time ago,' so it could be discussed and have a public vetting and work through the courts and all be resolved by now," McGuire said.

While supporters said they still intend to vote for Wilkerson next week, it was not clear yesterday whether her campaign would continue in earnest or whether she would abandon it.

Her usually bustling Tremont Street campaign headquarters, on the first floor of the Roxse Homes apartment complex, was shuttered. Her campaign manager, Boyce Slayman, did not return repeated phone calls, and others close to Wilkerson said they did not know her plans.

Sonia Chang-Diaz, the former Jamaica Plain teacher who upset Wilkerson in the primary, released a statement.

"My reaction to this news is simply one of sadness," she said. "Whenever the public's trust is violated, it's something that hurts the whole community and people's willingness to participate in politics."

She said Wilkerson should be spared "a rush to judgment" and called on reporters and her own supporters to "be considerate of Senator Wilkerson's supporters today, for whom this must be a very difficult time."

Regardless of Wilkerson's plans, it was clear her long-shot bid to retain her seat was seriously imperiled by the federal charges, complete with photographic evidence that appears to show her accepting cash from an FBI informant.

One staunch supporter talked about Wilkerson's representation of the district in past tense.

"She always brought to the State House a professionalism and a sense of power and representation for the entire community, not just for black people, but she represented the people in her district," said Michael Thomas, 48, of Roxbury. "What Dianne represented was a viewpoint that it wasn't about just going to get a piece of the pie, but understanding how to make the pie."

He said her arrest was part of a conspiracy.

"There's always been a conspiracy to make sure that wherever there is a concentration of black power, their power is always diluted," Thomas said. "There are other elected officials that have been doing things under the surface for years, and they just get a slap on the wrist."

The real estate consultant said his support of Wilkerson is total.

"If I had money to pay her debts, I would," he said.

John Drake can be reached at jdrake@globe.com.