Brown Calls for McNamara to Resign, NOW Demands Endorsements Be Renounced, and Raimondo & Mattiello

GoLocalProv Political Team

Brown Calls for McNamara to Resign, NOW Demands Endorsements Be Renounced, and Raimondo & Mattiello

Brown calling for McNamara to step down - Raimondo refuses to answer questions
The split in the Democratic Party is getting bigger and bigger by the day. On July 4, Independence Day, the RI Chapter of the National Organization for Women and Democratic candidate for Governor Matt Brown took aim on the hierarchy of the Democratic Party for failed leadership and anti-women bias.

“On June 28th the Chair of the Rhode Island Democratic Party endorsed Michael Earnheart, a known supporter of Donald Trump, against an incumbent female, Moira Walsh, for state representative in House District 3,” said Hilary Levey Friedman, President, RI NOW in a statement.

“RI NOW condemns the actions of the Democratic Party State Chair, Representative Joe McNamara, who appears to have acted unilaterally in the absence of a Representative District Committee in House District 3. We know that this endorsement was made so last minute that Earnheart’s name was handwritten on the otherwise typed letter submitted to the Secretary of State’s office. In so doing McNamara gave the false impression that this candidate shares the beliefs and values of the Democratic Party,” said Friedman.

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Brown, RI’s former Secretary of State, also condemned McNamara and called for the state chair to step down. “The Rhode Island Democratic Party’s endorsement of a right wing Trump supporter over a woman who fights for core Democratic value is shameful, and in my view, demonstrates the urgent need for new leadership. Rep. McNamara should resign as chair of the state party immediately. The party needs leadership that stands up for core Democratic values,” said Brown, who is challenging Governor Gina Raimondo in the primary.

Friedman blasts McNamara
As GoLocal reported on Wednesday, Raimondo refused to call for the rescission of the endorsement of Earnheart.

McNamara is a Democratic State Representative and a close ally of Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello. Historically, the chair serves at the pleasure of both the Speaker and the Governor.

Neither Raimondo or Mattiello’s offices would respond to questions about McNamara’s future.

McNamara has also refused comment
“Democratic Party establishment insiders need to learn that rigging endorsements, handpicking candidates and stacking the deck for favorites is fundamentally undemocratic and toxic with voters. The days of backroom machine politics where insiders and monied candidates pick and choose winners and losers is over. Change is coming,” added Brown.

“In not properly vetting candidates seeking endorsement, McNamara displayed a failure of leadership,” said Friedman.


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