Readers Say
“A resignation is the only way the Cambridge City Council can uphold a positive reputation in the community,” one of more than 300 respondents to our poll said.
Cambridge City Councillor Paul Toner is facing pressure from city officials – and Boston.com readers – to resign after being named publicly in court for allegedly buying sex with a Greater Boston brothel ring.
Toner has said he will not resign and most of his colleagues on the Council have refrained from outright calls for him to step down.
“I caused pain for the people I care about most. For that, I will be forever sorry,” Toner said in a statement obtained by The Boston Globe.
Toner was named as one of the most frequent clients in a brothel network, court proceedings in Cambridge District Court revealed. Toner allegedly exchanged 432 text messages with brothel operators and arranged to pay for sex at least 13 times in 2023.
The allegations quickly became the subject of heated discussion between fellow Cambridge City Councilors and their constituents alike. While some called for immediate action, others took a more cautious approach. Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler was one of Toner’s more vocal critics, urging Toner to resign.
“Given the effect the allegations will have on his ability to carry out his responsibilities and the impact the charges will have on the City Council as a whole, it is in the interest of the body and the public that he resign,” Sobrinho-Wheeler said in a statement.
In a joint statement after Toner was named in the brothel case, Councilors Burhan Azeem, Patricia M. Nolan, Sumbul Siddiqui, and Sobrinho-Wheeler called on Toner to “consider the impact of this situation on the City Council and his role as a leader in the community.” Nolan acknowledged on Facebook that the statement did not call for Toner’s resignation, but merely addressed the seriousness of the allegations.
Mayor E. Denise Simmons emphasized that the matter needed to be handled privately and with due process.
“Concilor Toner and his family must determine how they wish to proceed, and as Mayor, I intend to provide them the appropriate space and privacy to navigate this difficult time, to the extent possible,” Simmons said in a statement.
Toner was removed from his position as chair and co-chair on five Council committees in the wake of the allegations, according to NBC10 Boston.
When we asked readers if Toner should resign, the majority (73%) of the more than 300 respondents said he should, while just under a quarter (24%) said he shouldn’t. Just 3% of readers were undecided.
Cambridge City Councilor Paul Toner was identified as a client of a high-end brothel ring in Greater Boston. Should he resign?
Many readers in favor of his resignation said his involvement in the brothel ring damages the city’s reputation and community trust, while some argued that his refusal to step down sends a harmful message to women and families impacted by sexual exploitation.
“We should hold our public officials to high standards. I understand that he made a choice (actually, dozens of them!) that he regrets and I usually believe in second chances. But this behavior suggests that he believed he was above the law. And that is inexcusable,” reader Abby M. from Cambridge said.
Opponents to his resignation argued that Toner’s actions are a private matter and that sex work should be decriminalized and legalized in the state. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272, Section 53A makes it a crime to engage in sex with any person in exchange for a fee, but advocacy and legislation to decriminalize sex work has been underway for years.
“This is 2025. Why are we still going after sex work?” reader L. from Cambridge said.
Below, readers weigh in on the allegations against Toner and his position
Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.
Should Cambridge City Councilor Paul Toner resign?
Yes, he should resign
“I think the reason he needs to resign immediately – or at the least, step down until the investigation is complete – is obvious: What kind of message is Cambridge sending to women and girls who have been exploited and trafficked? His refusal to step down is a slap across the face to women and families in Cambridge and beyond.” – P.C., Camberville
“Being aware of and participating in a criminal enterprise is a breach of trust and a violation of his oath of office. He didn’t make a mistake or have a lapse of judgment. It was prolonged involvement in illegal activity.” – Fred, Cambridge
“His actions and subsequent decisions after this information came to light is telling. To double down and refuse to do what is best for the City, when it’s clear this is creating distraction (to say the least) and distress among community members, speaks volumes to his character – regardless of his right to due process. There is a level of entitlement here, that is unbecoming of a public servant.” – Melissa R., Cambridge
“Elected officials have a responsibility to lead by example and to serve their constituents. Councilman Toner has proven that he is unable to do either of these. The people of Cambridge, myself and my family included, put their trust in Councilman Toner when they elected him in 2021 and 2023, believing him to be a strong and honest leader whose presence would improve the Council. Councilman Toner has betrayed this trust with his immoral and inexcusable behavior. In order to preserve the Council’s dignity and the community’s faith in its representatives, Councilman Toner needs to step down immediately.” – Luca P., Cambridge
“Sure, he has the right to due process. But then there are the facts of how to be in a community with other people. Communities do require effort on the part of an individual to contribute to good social ties. Carrying on business as usual is not the way to fix this issue for Toner. If he really meant it and wanted to make things right, he would step down and evaluate how he can contribute to his community with this change in context. He had over a year to think about how and he clearly didn’t. If he believed in what he did, maybe he would advocate for the health and safety of the women he’s accused of soliciting for sex. But instead, he is still not considering the impact – either of his alleged actions or what he can do now because of his reputation. In a time when we have no trust in so many parts of our government, he is negatively impacting social ties locally.” – E.B., Union Square, Somerville
“What he does in his personal life, no matter how prurient, is his own business. However, if it breaks the law, he can no longer serve in a position of responsibility for the city, town, state or Commonwealth.” – David B., Barnstable
“If Paul Toner is allowed to remain in his position as a Cambridge City Councilor it sends a message that he fails to take responsibility for his actions. A resignation, forced or voluntary, is the only way the Cambridge City Council can uphold a positive reputation in the community.” – Jeff, Natick
No, he shouldn’t resign
“Sex work should be legalized. New England is too puritan.” – Jones, Cambridge
“Who cares what he does in his personal life? It is of no interest to me. However, it is illegal and that may be the issue.” – Katharine B., Dedham
“Paying sex for should be 100% legal as long as it is between consenting adults.” – Nick, Ipswich
“There is a reason why they call [sex work] the world’s oldest profession. Prostitution will never be eradicated, so the best approach is to take away the criminal aspect and legalize, regulate and tax prostitution.” – Dave, Hingham
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
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