Massachusetts: Former Chelmsford Planning Board Member, who successfully sued to force town to hold a recall, fined for conflict of interest rules violations

Former Planning Board member Richard McClure, who sued Chelmsford over the interpretation of the recall law, has been fined $5,000 for violating the state's conflict-of-interest laws for his pro bono representation in two lawsuits against the town, including the recall lawsuit.

McClure said Monday he felt "vindicated" in that case because a judge ruled the town must hold the recall election, which took place in 2011. 

In the second case, McClure led a property-dispute lawsuit in 2010, just before he became a Planning Board member. Town counsel also warned him in that case that he was violating state laws, the Ethics Commission said. 

In the recall-election lawsuit, a judge disqualified McClure from representing any other party other than himself. He appealed but was unsuccessful, the state said. In the property-dispute lawsuit, McClure withdrew as an attorney after the court allowed a motion to disqualify him.