The Wu administration has placed a $147,668-a-year city attorney on paid administrative leave days after he announced he was challenging Michelle Wu for Boston mayor.

John Houton, who has worked in the city’s law department for the past 18 years and is listed on the city payroll as assistant corporation counsel, said he sees the Wu administration’s move to place him on leave as an “intimidation” tactic or attempt to keep him off the mayoral ballot.

“I feel the pressure, I feel the intimidation,” 58-year-old Houton told the Herald. “It’s taking me away from what I should be doing now, gathering signatures.”

Houton’s leave, which he said was communicated to him in a meeting with city officials last Friday and was confirmed by the mayor’s office on Tuesday, was first reported by Commonwealth Beacon.

“Now there’s other city employees, both in the previous election and in this election, that the mayor has supported and advanced, and celebrated their right as an employee to run for office,” Houton said. “But evidently, that doesn’t work for me, so they’re coming at me. … If it’s to protect Boston and help Boston get back to basics, I’m willing to take that risk.”

Kerry Augustin, a City Hall receptionist for the Age Strong Commission, has also filed paperwork to run for mayor, but has not been placed on leave. He earned $5,755 last year, city records show.

When asked why his job status was being impacted by his run for office, when that wasn’t the case for Augustin or other city employees running for City Council, Houton said the city was trying to pin it on his position as an attorney, but that he’d let the Wu administration speak for itself.

At last week’s meeting, Houton said he was informed that city officials had a problem with his status as a candidate, and were concerned about ethics and professional responsibility, or namely conflict of interest law as an attorney. He works as in-house counsel for the city’s treasury department.

A city spokesperson said the move was made to keep the law department “non-political,” and sought to distance Mayor Wu from the matter.

“In order to perform its essential functions, the law department’s work depends on being fully non-political in its operations, and, importantly, the department must be perceived as non-political by cabinet chiefs and department heads seeking advice and counsel,” Jessicah Pierre, a Wu spokesperson, said in a statement.

“Employment decisions relating to Mr. Houton, a law department official who represents the city’s finance department, are being handled by the city’s office of human resources, in consultation with outside counsel. Mayor Wu is not involved.”

Houton, a South End resident, said he’s under review and believes there’s an investigation into the matter of whether his leave should continue as long as he’s campaigning. He said the city brought in outside counsel to answer the question of the conflict of interest his candidacy may have created.

He insists that he’s done everything above board, however, and sought ethics guidance when he was considering a potential mayoral bid four years ago. He also sought advice from his direct supervisor in the city’s corporation counsel, he said.

While he’s on leave, and if he gets on the ballot, campaigning, city taxpayers will continue to pay his six-figure salary.

Houton said he’s a Democrat, but believes the city is moving in the wrong direction under the current mayoral administration.

While Wu supports sanctuary policies, which she defended before a Congressional oversight committee in March, Houton said he would support the federal government’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

“She put a target on Boston’s back,” Houton said of Wu’s Washington, D.C. testimony. “I see no reason why we shouldn’t be fully supporting our federal partners to keep Boston safe.”

The Trump administration and James Comer, chair of the Republican-led Congressional oversight committee, have threatened to strip federal funding from sanctuary cities like Boston. Wu has said the city is already challenging efforts to take away federal grants in court.

Houton said he also opposes bike lanes, and supports strengthening the city’s tax base.

If he makes the ballot, Houton would be facing an uphill climb. Wu’s primary challenger thus far is Josh Kraft, a son of the billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and longtime philanthropist.

Eleven other people have filed paperwork to run for mayor, but as of Tuesday, Wu and Kraft were the only candidates to submit enough signatures to make the fall ballot.

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