Democratic leader from Foxborough apologizes for ‘offensive’ comments about 4th District primary candidates
"It’s particularly disturbing to hear this same sentiment coming from a leader within our own state Democratic Party."
The chair of the Foxborough Democratic Town Committee is apologizing for dismissive comments he made about several candidates in the 4th District congressional primary race during a debate last month, after they were condemned Thursday by the candidates — as well as the one he supports.
“I want to be clear that I have the greatest respect for all of the Democratic candidates and the contributions that they have made in this race,” Dennis Naughton, who is also a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Comittee, wrote Thursday afternoon on Facebook.
“The time and effort that they and their families must devote to such a campaign is daunting,” he continued. “While my comment was not intended to be offensive, I can now see that it was. For that I want to express regret and offer sincere apology.”
https://www.facebook.com/dennis.naughton/posts/3374743122605714
Naughton had made the comments during a live-streamed debate on July 26.
In a series of YouTube comments, he wrote that Brookline attorney Ben Sigel — whose mother was born in Puerto Rico and has pitched himself as potentially the first Latino congressman from Massachusetts — “does not identify as Latinx unless convenient.” Naughton also argued that former Brookline Select Board member Jesse Mermell was “running on all the issues, not a mommy or a scientist,” an apparent dismissive reference toward fellow candidates Becky Grossman — a Newton city councilor who has centered her identity as a mother in her candidacy — and Dr. Natalia Linos, a Harvard epidemiologist.
https://twitter.com/FoxboroInsider/status/1299058307743789058?s=20
Naughton’s comments were met with swift criticism after they resurfaced this week on Twitter.
Sigel accused him of “questioning my very identity to try and score some cheap political points.”
“It is offensive to me, my family and Latinos everywhere,” he said in a statement Thursday. “Is this the type of leader we want in our local Democratic Party?”
Grossman echoed that criticism in her own statement, calling Naughton’s comments “offensive to those of us lending our unique voices to the conversation.”
“It’s no secret that way too many politicians in Washington think ‘mommies’ have nothing to offer, but it’s particularly disturbing to hear this same sentiment coming from a leader within our own state Democratic Party,” Grossman said, adding that “all four women in this race – even the ‘mommy’ and the ‘scientist’ – are extremely qualified.”
Linos also called for an apology.
“Maybe if we didn’t dismiss mommies, scientists, and people of color, we’d be doing a better job with this COVID-19 response,” she wrote.
Maybe if we didn’t dismiss mommies, scientists, and people of color, we’d be doing a better job with this COVID-19 response. Proud to be running alongside @bensigel and @BeckyWGrossman, and I call on Mr. Naughton to apologize. #MA04 #mapoli https://t.co/NcHM0nmmJV
— Natalia Linos (@DrNataliaLinos) August 27, 2020
Naughton noted Thursday that he made the comments before officially announcing his support for Mermell, who apologized directly to Sigel and Linos on Twitter.
In a separate series of tweets, Mermell said that she had spoken with Naughton and remained committed to running a positive campaign 11 months into the long, crowded primary contest in the wake of Rep. Joe Kennedy III’s decision to run for Senate.
“Everyone belongs in this race, has a right to be in this race & deserves our respect for putting themselves out in front of voters,” Mermell wrote. “As emotions run high at the end of a long campaign, we have seen an increase in negative comments directed at all of the candidates and we have made it clear to our supporters that we want them to remain positive and we hope other campaigns will do the same.”
The comments made by one of our supporters that were reshared today don’t reflect my values or the views of my campaign. I’ve discussed them with that supporter. It’s up to all of us to make the choice voters have in this election clear in a positive & productive manner.
— Jesse Mermell (@jessemermell) August 27, 2020
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