The Truth Behind Chanel Prunier’s Legacy 81 Consulting in Worcester

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Patrick Sargent, GoLocal Worcester Contributor

Osgood-Bradley Building in Worceser. Home of Legacy 81 Consulting.

On April 18, 2014, the Office of Campaign and Political Finance ruled against three Political Action Committees for violations dating back to 2012. Chanel Prunier of Shrewsbury served as Chair of the Massachusetts Republican Municipal Coalition PAC. Prunier, along with Massachusetts Independent PAC for Working Families Chairman Robert Bradley and the Catholic Citizenship PAC, were ordered to make a payment of $17,500 to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts "in the nature of a civil forfeiture."

However, the three PACs didn't have to pay a dime to the state.

Over the course of seven months, the Marlborough Republican City Committee paid Prunier $17,500 for "consulting purposes" to Prunier's newly created Legacy 81 Consulting. This consulting firm was conveniently founded shortly before Prunier agreed to a resolution with the OCPF. The first payment of $2,500 came on April 14. Six more payments of the same amount would follow over the next six months.

As long time Worcester Democratic political activist and GoLocal Worcester MINDSETTER™ Paul Giorgio put it, "Coincidence is a strange thing."

Who is Chanel Prunier?

Aside from being chair of the MRMC PAC, Prunier is now a Republican State Committee Associate Member. A graduate of Assumption College in Worcester, Prunier served as a Field Representative for Scott Brown, and is currently a member of the Shrewsbury Republican Town Committee.

Garret Shetrawski, R-Winchendon, who made an unsuccessful bid in a very close race for state representative in Worcester's 2nd district, said "Chanel was nothing but supportive during my campaign. She was a huge help, She's done nothing but good."

What is Legacy 81 Consulting?

Legacy 81's address is 18 Grafton Street in Worcester. The address belongs to the Osgood-Bradley Building. This building is owned by Republican activist Brad Wyatt, who made an unsuccessful bid for State Representative for Worcester's 12th District this fall.

18 Grafton Street also houses the Red Mass Group and Worcester Tea Party, non-profit organizations arguing the need for more fiscal legislators in Massachusetts.

There is no website for Legacy 81. In fact, the only mention of Legacy 81 is on the OCPF website and on Prunier's LinkedIn page.

What Was the OCPF Resolution?

According to the resolution with the OCPF, the three PACs acted in collusion with one another and that Prunier "regularly recommended to the other PAC's Chairs that the PACs support and contribute to particular candidates and that the Chairs of each PAC then, after receiving Prunier's recommendation, authorized the issuance of the checks to the candidates suggested by Prunier."

Therefore, Prunier and the PACs had to pay $17,500, MIPAC and CC PAC had to cease their activity and file dissolution reports with the OCPF, and Prunier was to have no involvement with any PACs other than the MRMC PAC which was allowed to remain open. Additionally, the MRMC PAC cannot make any contributions before January 2017 to any candidate they had made contributions to in 2012.