Critics Link Attleboro City Council Candidates to Pro-Family Group

Campaign contributions to past and current Attleboro City Council officials have been put under the microscope because of the contributing organization. 

City Councilors Brian Kirby, Cherie Felos and Richard Conti as well as currrent state Rep. George Ross (R-Attleboro) are being characterized as "anti-gay" because they accepted contributions for past campaigns from the Massachusetts Coalition of Marriage and Family.

The pro-family organization works on issues affecting the quality of life of families, including education, economic growth, health care, taxes, and preserving life, according to its website. 

The city councilors, all of whom are seeking a seat in the council chambers, were named in an anonymous letter sent to the homes of an unknown number of Attleboro residents. One of those residents includes Attleboro City Council candidate Thomas Dowling, who is running for the Ward 3 seat against Frank Cook. 

The letter states that the city councilors and Rep. Ross accepted contributions from the Coalition, a group run by Chanel Prunier, who the anonymous author describes as an anti-gay activist. 

"I don't feel that I should respond to anonymous letters, if people want to have a serious debate they should put their names to things," Rep. George Ross said. "Anonymity like that is ridiculous and cowardly. It's like pulling a pin out of a grenade and throwing it into a room and seeing what happens after the explosion. 

"There are so many more things we have to worry about in the Commonwealth today taxes, jobs, the economy," he added. "I won't be bullied for my beliefs and I don't go around bullying anyone else."

Councilor Felos said she knows Purnier from her time working on Sen. Scott Brown's firs state Senate campaign and that they are friends. 

"Simply because one takes money from someone does not mean that they will agree with everything that that person says or does," Felos said. "If anyone from a gay and lesbian rights organizations wants to send me money, I'll take it, because I'm sure there is something we can agree on."

Attleboro City Councilor Richard Conti said he received a survey of some form two years ago. The questionnaire was on "gays and marriage," he said. 

"I heard no position, no guidelines, no interferences, nothing from anybody on any gay issue at all in two years," Conti said. "Here I am at another election and I have not received another check or survey and this letter comes along." 

The letter and its contents is overblown, according to Conti.

"George Ross, Brian Kirby, Cherie Felos and I talk all the time," he added. "I don't ever recall discussing the Coalition of Marriage and Family with any of those people. It's not like we get together and plot about the gays."

When knocking on residents' doors, Conti said, he does not hear about issues of sexuality, he only hears words of encouragement to continue to vote for the people of Attleboro. 

"There is nothing in that letter that incensed me or made me angry other than someone is trying to stir the pot," he said. "It's just politics. It did not get me mad. They missed the mark."