[8] For years during the 1990s, Lantigua worked as an organizer in the City of Lawrence helping elect Jose Santiago, the second Puerto Rican to serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (the first was Nelson Merced, elected in 1988[9]) and later Mary-Ellen Manning to Massachusetts Governor's Council over incumbent and Mayor of Lawrence, Patricia Dowling.

[8] In 2002, Lantigua ran as an independent against Democrat Jose Santiago and was elected a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Lantigua caused controversy when fellow lawmakers on Beacon Hill questioned his ability to hold the position of mayor and State Representative simultaneously in the midst of a citywide financial crisis.

[13] This investigation was the latest in a series of bizarre events[14] that have led to a recall petition to oust Lantigua from office after 15 tumultuous months.

[17] In the summer of 2012, Mayor Lantigua married the principal witness against him, his longtime girlfriend and City Hall worker Lorenza Ortega.