Colarusso: Stop the Name Calling, Let's Debate

A Letter to the Editor from Caroline Colarusso, candidate for State Representative:

This is a simple response to Mr. Day's outrageous and sad personal attacks against me.

This past May, the Massachusetts State Senate, including our Senator Jason Lewis, voted in favor of Senator Jamie Eldridge's amendment #1147 (Roll Call #394 on S.4) that would prohibit local, county, and state law
enforcement from inquiring about the citizenship status of an apprehended dangerous person or drug dealer. In addition, the amendment also called for the sanctioning of any local officer who violated this new rule. In
essence, police officers would be punished for doing their jobs to keep us safe and punished following the law.

In a recent letter, Rep. Day declared this to be a "hysterical prediction," in order to justify the name-calling and angry rhetoric he’s commenced against me in our contest for the legislature. However, it’s not a hysterical
prediction, it was the language of the amendment voted on and almost inserted in the final state budget. In fact, as clear as day, making Massachusetts a Sanctuary state is in the 2017 Democratic issues platform. If we continue to elect extreme far leftists like Mr. Day, they will eventually pass this measure, just as they did in California. It’s anticipated they will endeavor to pass this policy at a point as far away from the next election as possible, early in 2019, just as they did with their own 40% pay raises, which was the first order of business in 2017.

What’s saddening is that the campaign has barely begun, and already Mr. Day has chosen to engage in the politics of smear campaigns and name calling, accusing me of trying "whip-up anti-immigrant rhetoric," rather than justifying his position in favor of releasing potentially dangerous individuals
here illegally. This is unfortunately predictable given his record of character assassination against me - a woman who dares to challenge him. What I am doing is "whipping up" awareness to the fact that Mr. Day and his allies, once Election Day has passed, will vote to make Massachusetts a Sanctuary State - a radical position that 80% of Massachusetts citizens oppose including Winchester businessman and candidate for US Senate John Kingston. Mr. Kingston chose to make Sanctuary Cities his core campaign issue on every mailer and television advertising. John Kingston is a well-respected moderate Winchester Republican who cares deeply about our communities enough to run for the United States Senate. Additionally Gov. Charlie Baker, who has endorsed me in this race for State Representative, also opposes Massachusetts becoming a Sanctuary State.

There is a clear choice in November. You can vote for a person who will call it as one sees it, and who asks you to rise above Day’s rhetoric and name-calling.

Throughout this race, I will take the high road and bring my positive message of change to the voters of our district door to door. Like so many people I speak with at their doors in Winchester and Stoneham, I am pro-
immigrant, anti-sanctuary city, because our police officers need to be able to cooperate when it comes to apprehending illegal criminal aliens. As a granddaughter of legal immigrants, I appreciate anyone who wishes to come to our country, obey our laws, build a better life, and live the American dream.

You can vote for person who is not afraid to speak truth to power. Or you can vote for someone who will mislead you of their intentions by carelessly labeling their critics racists and bigots, while not ever addressing the serious underlying issues at hand. When a politician lies, they attack their opponents in order to hide the truth. I believe the voters of this district will see through the name calling. You deserve better than a contest fought in the mud. You deserve an honest State Representative.

Despite what I have come to expect in challenging Rep. Day, the people of this district would have liked to see Rep. Day state his position in a substantive manner. Instead, we get his typical sling and arrow approach,
which one comes to expect of career politicians. He’s learned to label and attack your opponents and paint them in a way that is advantageous to your campaign, and never debate them on the actual issues.

I wish to challenge Mr. Day to a debate this year in the Race for State Representative. Let the people decide which candidate addresses specifics, rather than engaging in name calling and attacks. I hope we can
arrange this for all of you, the general public, so you can hear our views without the spin and false accusations.