Moulton grilled over Pelosi opposition
Democratic political activists protested outside U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton’s Amesbury town hall meeting last night over his campaign to keep Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi from becoming House speaker again.
“This is a betrayal of our trust,” said co-organizer Bambi Snodgrass of Topsfield, who said she had campaigned for him before. “The least he can do is put aside his petty, self-serving desires and ambitions and work with the most qualified person to serve as speaker of the House.”
Moulton (D-Salem) and Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston) were among 16 Democrats who sought to open nominations for House speaker.
Moulton spokesman Matt Corridoni said, “He enjoys having challenges to his beliefs and he hopes to never be in a roomful of people in agreement with him. He answered questions head-on and they (protesters) were less than half the audience.”
He estimated up to 150 people attended the town hall, which he said was protested by about 30 people from the group calling itself “Concerned Democratic Constituents in Massachusetts’s 6th Congressional District.”
A press release from the group cited Pelosi’s legislative track record and her support from unions and other Democratic-leaning activist groups.
“It really breaks my heart to see him go down this path because I thought he had the potential to be a progressive leader,” co-organizer Isa Leshko of Salem said. “But what’s clear is he is willing to try to court Trump voters as a way of increasing his state level or national profile and sacrificing what’s good for the Democratic party and what’s good for the country to pursue this agenda to go for higher office.”
Although Sharon Jordan, chairwoman of the Lunenburg Democratic Town Committee, is not one of Moulton’s constituents, she traveled to the town hall event last night because she feels Moulton is “betraying” the Democratic Party.
“We value progressive Democrats and I think they won across the country in large part because of Nancy Pelosi. I think she has earned right to a leadership position,” Jordan said. “I’m angry that white men want to take it away from her and I also think she’s the only qualified candidate.”