Sullivan, who is in the hospital recoveringfrom minor surgery, could not be reached forcomment.

Councillor Sheila T. Russell did not receivenearly the amount of out-of-town contributionsthat Sullivan did. But Russell did receive herlargest single contribution, $500, from Marilynand Richard Thypin of New York City, owners of aCambridge steel company.

Last year, Russell voted against an ordinanceto downzone the Thypins' property. Butneighborhood activists lobbied for the change inan attempt at its limiting industrial uses. Theordinance would have substantially decreased thevalue of the Thypin property.

Russell says she voted against the ordinance inorder to encourage business to remain inCambridge, bring money into the city and ease thetax burden on the neighborhoods. The ordinance waseventually defeated.

No Conflict of Interest

Despite the Thypin donation Russell said thatthere is no conflict of interest in any of herdealings because she "has no ties to the businesscommunity."

But activists like Cowan and Turk say thecampaign records clearly show that Sullivan,Russell and Walsh have clear monetary ties to thebusiness community, connections that may beunethical and could give certain Cambridgebusiness an unfair political advantage