Swampscott Selectman: I Have No Ill Will Toward Bartender

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Swampscott Selectman Don Hause said he holds "no ill will" toward a bartender who publicly accused him of calling the Black Lives Matter movement "liberal bull----."

"I've been a bartender. If I'm working at a bar and a patron is swearing or being offensive, I would walk up to them, ask them to tone it down or go and get the manager," Hause said Thursday in an interview with Greg Hill on WEEI. "I don't really hold any ill will against him. I wish he had just called me so we could sit down."

Erik Heilman, 24, of Salem, was bartending at Mission on the Bay in Swampscott June 11 when he said he heard Hause make the Black Lives Matter comment and other comments that angered him. On Sunday, Heilman posted his account of Hause's comments on a Facebook group for Swampscott residents.

Within two hours, Heilman was out of a job. But Heilman was rehired Tuesday, and the restaurant's owner, Wellington Augusto, said Hause was banned from the restaurant.

Listen to Greg Hill's interview with Swampscott Selectman Don Hause.

On Thursday, Hause continued to deny Heilman's account and said he believes much of the backlash stemmed from a letter he wrote to the Swampscott Reporter supporting the local police department. He told Hill he and his children have been attacked on social media, with "teachers in our school system liking certain posts that were condemning me."

Dispute Stems From June 2 Black Lives Matter Demonstration

Hause said the controversy began June 2, when a group of young people led a Black Lives Matter protest that drew about 300 people to the front of Gov. Charlie Baker's Swampscott home. At the next Board of Selectmen meeting, Hause abstained when the board passed a proclamation supporting the young people who organized the protest condemning the death of George Floyd on May 25 while handcuffed by Minneapolis police officers.

"I didn't think it was the right time to issue that proclamation, as we had businesses in Swampscott that were trying to reopen," Hause said. "But I also was not going to oppose it."

After the meeting, Hause sent a letter to the newspaper outlining his position and supporting the Swampscott Police Department.

"I said [in the letter] I felt our police, who are terrific people ... were really getting hurt by it," Hause said."That created a lot of backlash."

On June 11, Hause and his wife were having dinner at Mission on the Bay with another couple. He said their conversation covered "all the topics of the day" and he said he believed the street violence and looting at some demonstrations in U.S. cities had hurt the Black Lives Matter movement. He said Heilmann recognized him and asked him about the letter.

"There really wasn't much interaction, and he wasn't the only person waiting on us," Hause said. But by Sunday "I suddenly became the focus of all this vitriol on Facebook, including me being called a racist, and being told to resign. No one reached out to me, no one asked what did I say or did I say it. Everyone just assumed I was anti-Black Live Matter and a racist."

Swampscott Considering Follow-up Forum

Hause did not attend Wednesday's selectmen's meeting, as he was traveling on business. During the public comment portion of the meeting, a resident suggested selectmen convene a forum to hear Hause's side of the story. Hause said he supports the idea.

"I really don't want this to get more out of hand than it already is, and I mean that for our community, not just for me," he said.

Hause said the restaurant has received threats since the incident. He said Augusto "is a friend of mine" and even offered a plug for Mission on the Bay to Hill's audience.

"It's a fabulous restaurant," Hause said. "Despite what happened to me, I would recommend anyone go there."

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).