To the editor:
Gloucester and its fishing industry should be very skeptical about Republican Scott Brown's latest radio ad ("Brown ad targets NOAA fishery injustice, the Times, Wednesday, May 9) in which Brown claims to "fight to protect" our fishermen.
Earlier this year, Brown had an opportunity to join with the entire Massachusetts congressional delegation in support of fishermen and their families, but instead he took a pass. The Gloucester Daily Times reported ("Fishing health care group seeks $4 million grant," the Times, Feb. 17) that Brown was the only member of our congressional delegation to not sign on to a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services backing a Massachusetts Fishing Partnership application for a three-year, $4 million grant for a project aimed at helping fishermen find their best fit for health insurance.
Not only is it disgraceful for Brown to leave fishermen and their families hanging regarding this project, but Brown's reported reason was purely political.
The Gloucester Daily Times reported that "Brown declined due to the program's funding source — 'Obamacare' — Brown's press secretary, John Donnelly, told the Times on Thursday."
In other words, because Republican Brown has a political disagreement with our Democratic president, he's opposing a health insurance grant for our fishermen.
If Brown truly supported fishermen, he wouldn't let a political disagreement prevent him from supporting this grant for fishermen's health insurance.
Mathew Helman
Communications Director
ProgressMass
Winter Street, Boston
