endorsements

Newton mayoral candidate Setti Warren nabbed the endorsements of three Newton aldermen on Thursday, according to his campaign.

Ward 2 Alderman At Large Marcia Johnson, Ward 3 Alderman At Large Ted Hess-Mahan and Ward 8 Alderman At Large John Freedman are all backing Warren's campaign for mayor.

"I am honored that three aldermen whose work and service I greatly admire have made the decision to join our campaign," Warren said in a statement. "They are putting their trust not just in me, but in the shared goals that we have for our city. I look forward to working with them as we bring new leadership to the community we all love."

Governor's Councilor Kelly Timilty reached an agreement with Attorney General Martha Coakley Monday to pay $8,000 for distributing a mailer featuring an endorsement from Gov. Deval Patrick that she never received, according to the attorney general's office.

Timilty must also adhere to strict protocols with regards to using endorsements in her future campaigns.

Timilty, a Dedham Democrat, distributed a mailer that featured Patrick's endorsement during her primary race this year against Robert Jubinville. Sources close the governor said then that Patrick did not endorse Timilty.

Coakley's office confirmed that report and said that Timilty has agreed to have her campaign committee pay a $8,000 civil penalty, eight times the maximum financial penalty that could be imposed after a criminal conviction of falsely claiming an endorsement. As part of the agreement, Timilty must obtain an endorsement in writing before using it in future campaign materials. She will also be required to submit a protocol to Coakley's office and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance for how she will obtain written consent from endorsers.

Gov. Deval Patrick commended the state Senate Thursday for its vote asking for State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's resignation.

"On a bi-partisan basis, the Senate today unanimously re-affirmed that elected officials should be held to the highest ethical standards," the Milton Democrat said. "I support and respect their action."

Patrick endorsed Wilkerson in her primary against Sonia Chang-Diaz this year. He switched to supporting Chang-Diaz after she defeated Wilkerson in the primary and Wilkerson launched a write-in campaign for the general election.

Boston City Councilor Charles Yancey, who endorsed state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson in both her primary this year and in her write-in general election campaign, declined to state whether he was still supporting her on Thursday in light of the recent allegations that she accepted $23,500 in bribes.

Asked by PolitickerMA.com if he was still supporting Wilkerson, the Dorchester Democrat's office said he has "no comment."

Yancey's office said the councilor is waiting to see how the legal proceedings play out.

Boston City Councilor Stephen Murphy said Thursday that, in light of the corruption charges state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson now faces, he is supporting Sonia Chang-Diaz in Suffolk's 2nd Senate District general election race.

Murphy, a Hyde Park Democrat, backed Wilkerson in the primary this year against Chang-Diaz, but committed to staying neutral in the general election when Wilkerson vowed to run a write-in campaign.

"I'm clearly saying that Sonia Chang-Diaz is a better choice right now," Murphy told PolitickerMA.com.

Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner is sticking by state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, Boston Daily reports.

Turner, a Roxbury member of the Green-Rainbow Party, backed Wilkerson in her Democratic primary against Sonia Chang-Diaz this year and also endorsed her in the general election.

Turner told Boston Daily that he will continue supporting Wilkerson as long as she continues her campaign.

"If she calls off her campaign, then the race is over," Turner said. "If she doesn't, my perspective is that she'll be judged by a jury of her peers."

UPDATED: Despite state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's arrest Tuesday on corruption allegations, Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon is staying uncommitted in the state senator's general election race, rather than endorsing Democratic nominee Sonia Chang-Diaz.

Yoon, a Dorchester Democrat, endorsed Wilkerson in the Democratic primary this year but then declared himself uncommitted when she decided to run a write-in campaign after losing the Democratic primary.

"No, he's not changing anything there," Curtis Ellis, a spokesman for Yoon, told PolitickerMA.com when asked if Yoon would switch his endorsement to Chang-Diaz.

The Boston Herald endorsed U.S. Sen. John Kerry Tuesday in his re-election bid against Republican Jeff Beatty.

The Herald wrote that Kerry's experience and seniority will be pivotal for Massachusetts as the country faces difficult challenges ahead.

"With Sen. Edward M. Kennedy ailing, Kerry's advocacy on behalf of this state and its people becomes ever more important," the Herald wrote.

The Boston Herald endorsed four state House candidates this week.

The Herald noted in its editorial Monday that with so few competitive races this year, it makes picking candidates easier but that "in the interest of a thriving democracy we certainly hope this is the low point."

The daily backed Republican state Sen. Scott Brown in his race against Needham Democrat Sara Orozco in the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District.

An ethics complaint has been filed against Sonia Chang-Diaz for listing El Mundo has an endorsement on her website when she has not been endorsed by the paper.

State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's campaign told PolitickerMA.com Monday that the complaint had been filed by a voter.

The Boston Globe reported Tuesday that Brian Monahan, a Boston attorney, filed the complaint. Monahan alleges that a voter decided to vote for Chang-Diaz in the primary because of the endorsement.