To the editor:
Mayoral candidate Maureen Gomes Lopez placed an ad in the August 25th edition of the Post that I believe misrepresents the facts. Specifically, she said that “Our residents cannot afford to elect a candidate that is already violating our charter by campaigning with the Ward 2 and Ward 4 councilors and sharing a campaign headquarters with them.” Presumably, she was referring to candidate John Rossi.

I have searched through our City Charter. There is no language that I can find that prohibits candidates for municipal office from campaigning together. Nothing. I reached out on social media to a member of the Charter Commission that drafted the Charter. He said: “I am sure the Charter does not address who the Candidates can run with.” Another Commissioner said: “It’s not a charter violation at all… Seems like a real non-argument.”

I and others have reached out to Ms. Gomes Lopez herself on social media and asked for the specific language in the Charter to which she is referring. Her response was that “The residents voted with the understanding that the change in the charter would reflect the separation of power between Mayor and the Council.” That has nothing to do with her misleading statement nor does it answer the question: Where in the Charter are candidates prohibited from campaigning together?

Ms. Gomes Lopez concludes her ad by asking for our trust. Unless she steps forward and answers the question, that is unlikely to happen.

Candy Seel
East Providence