LGBTQ Victory Fund calls for independent investigation to begin immediately, with primary just weeks away
Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, applauded reports that Massachusetts Democratic Party chair Gus Bickford will investigate the UMass College Democrats who made vague and anonymous abuse of power accusations against openly gay Congressional candidate Alex Morse. Victory Fund is calling on Bickford to begin an independent investigation immediately and to complete it before the primary, so voters can make a fully informed decision at the polls. Currently reports indicate Bickford will investigate the conduct of UMass College Democrats after the primary. Voters have already received mail-in ballots and primary day is September 1.
The news comes after The Intercept reported the attack on Morse was planned by the leadership of the UMass Amherst College Democrats since at least last October. It also makes clear political motivations were involved from the beginning, in part because the former president of College Democrats wanted a job with Morse’s opponent, U.S. Representative Richard Neal. The Intercept also says the leadership of UMass Amherst College Democrats plotted to find Morse on dating apps to bait him and cause damage to the campaign. That effort was unsuccessful.
Sean Meloy, Senior Political Director for LGBTQ Victory Fund, said the following about the latest developments:
“We commend the party chair for recognizing the importance of investigating this orchestrated political hit job on Alex, but we urge him to conduct an independent investigation immediately so voters can fill out their ballots with all the information available to them. We now know the leadership of UMass Amherst College Democrats was conspiring to damage Alex’s campaign since at least October. Yet they chose to release the information ten months later – literally as ballots dropped in voters’ mailboxes – and motivated by hopes of a future political career with Alex’s opponent. We said from the beginning that the allegations were timed with the political calendar and that it is a disservice to voters and to everyone involved. Now we know that timing was purposeful.”
“While these allegations appear to be a political stunt, it is important to underscore how damaging lies can be to the fact that most sexual harassment allegations are true. We must ensure students and all people have safe ways to report cases of sexual harassment and that their cases are taken seriously and fully investigated.”
________________
LGBTQ Victory Fund
LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.
