For Immediate Release
March 26, 2014

Contact: Matt Fenlon
Phone: 617.939.0800 

MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY HIGHLIGHTS RICHARD TISEI’S HYPOCRISY

Less than a week after boycotting Republican Conventions, Tisei named “contender” by National Republican Congressional Committee

BOSTON – After boycotting last week’s Republican Convention out of fear of being linked too closely to the anti-equality MassGOP platform, the National Republican Congressional Committee today announced Richard Tisei as a “contender,” further linking Tisei to the same Tea Party, anti-equality establishment he railed against just last week.

Tisei now needs to come clean and make clear whether or not he will once again accept millions of dollars from a national Republican Party that promotes the same values he criticized last week.

“Of course Richard, Charlie Baker or anyone shouldn’t be attending a convention that supports an extreme, anti-equality platform,” said Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Tom McGee. “Does Richard really expect to be celebrated for doing the right thing last week if he now falls in line behind an anti-equality national Republican Party this week?”

In 2012, Tisei actually defended an equally controversial national Republican Party platform by saying, “it is what it is.”

“In 2010, Richard courted the Tea Party and was a MassGOP standard-bearer. In 2012, he benefited from millions of dollars in donations and advertising by Republican Tea Party leaders in Washington, including from firebrand Congressman Eric Cantor’s Young Guns PAC,” said McGee. “And today we learned the NRCC once again plans on bankrolling his campaign.”

“Is Richard now willing to renounce donations from the Washington Republican leadership? Will he pledge not to coordinate with the state Republican Party in his political campaign as long as the MassGOP maintains its anti-equality stance?

“Let’s set the record straight, since elected in 1996 Congressman John Tierney has been the one fighting everyday for equality and serving the best interests of the 6th District.”

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