IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE ORIGINAL POST FROM OCTOBER 8 2021 PLEASE READ THE INFO IN THE PINK BOX BELOW.
WE ARE POSTING THE NEW INFORMATION BELOW THE PINK BOX.
ORIGINAL POST FROM 10/8/2021
Framingham Unfiltered supports Magda Janus for District 7 City Council. Janus is the underdog, yet she is supported. She has the endorsement of our Framingham heroes of the Framingham Firefighters IAFF Local 1652. Janus has already sat down with members of police leadership, members of the housing authority, and has actively been out knocking on doors stumping for support. She is our pick for the role.
Janus is running against Leora Mallach. While Mallach tries to appear separate from Spicer, she IS Spicer’s pick for District 7 City Council. Leora Mallach is very much entwined to Spicer, Spicer’s slate of elected officials, and Spicer’s supporters – and we will prove that shortly.
On the evening on October 5th, during the city council meeting, after the meeting had adjourned, current City Councilor for District 7 Margareth Shepard spoke up, wanting to make a ‘public service announcement’.
Margareth Shepard is a staunch supporter of the Mayor and her policies. Due to the time required by the position she is not seeking re-election.
The public service announcement, instead was a public tongue lashing meant to defame an anti-Spicer City Council candidate who is running Shepard’s seat. Worse yet, the statement Shepard made, was based on hearsay, or third person, without consulting the person being defamed.
While the court can request a jury to disregard an objectional statement, it cannot be unheard. Likewise this statement, cannot be unheard. Shepard should step down from her role on the council and needs to publicly apologize.
Watch that “Public Service Announcement” below.
MASS ETHICS BOARD COMPLAINT:
Because this incident utilized city resources, taxpayer dollars, city funded broadcast media, a platform only an elected leader is privy to, we felt this violated Massachusetts ethics laws and filed a formal complaint which will be investigated.
FOLLOW THE MONEY:
Since announcing her candidacy over the summer, Mallach has raised close to $5000 dollars, including taking large sums of money from hardcore Spicer supporter Beth Greeley, Timothy Brainerd, Mary Breen, and others.
Leora Mallach IS part of the SPICER SLATE. Mallach will not be an independent voice on City Council. The supporters of Mayor Spicer support Leora Mallach. Follow the money. The money that’s going to Mallach is also going to Spicer and her slate.
Names on the left are the donor’s, and the name on the right is who they donated to.
What we NOW know:
On October 5th, Margareth Shepard, outgoing city councilor at her podium in an open meeting of city council, utilizing broadcast media paid for by the taxpayers of the city of Framingham, disparaged a person running for her seat, against the candidate she would publicly endorse two days later on October 7th as shown below.
Because Shepard utilized city broadcast resources, city personnel, and building resources in this attack against Magda Janus, it became a city matter. Being that the matter of the sign, $20, and the dispute between a resident and a Janus, was discussed in a public setting, filmed by city cameras, and disseminated over the city’s social media and other city web media, even if was discussed after the meeting adjourned, it immediately become a city issue or matter, as discussed by a public elected person, in a public meeting. Therefore any emails, whether on a personal, city, or state owned email account, that discussed the matter leading up to the public attack became public records subject to public records requests.
We filed a public records request and this is what we learned.
Many people conspired to disparage Janus, and it included current elected leaders at the city and state level, current candidates, members of the Framingham Democratic Committee, and a who’s who of Spicer operatives.
On October 4th Margareth Shepard sent a text message to Massachusetts State Democratic Committee and Mass Dems Woman’s Outreach Chairperson Norma Schulman. In the text message series below we see Shepard reaching out to Schulman to tell her a story about one of her friends who put a Magda Janus for District 7 City Council sign in their yards…. and somehow they lost the sign.
After a little back and forth Schulman encouraged Shepard to use Facebook and Twitter to shame Janus. Schulman didn’t suggest a teaching moment, she wanted to Shepard to “shame” her. Shepard then asked Schulman to help he write up the post, see the text starting with “Here is a text you can work on”.
In under two hours Schulman had crafted her rewrite of Shepard’s story and wrote an email prefacing it. The email went out at 11:42AM on October 4th and was sent to the entire executive leadership team of the Framingham Democratic Committee, current Framingham City Councilors Robert Case and Cesar Stewart-Morales, State Representatives Jack Patrick Lewis and Maria Robinson, some residents of District 7, some persons who could offer a ‘legal’ perspective, and to the benefactor of this attack, District 7 City Council candidate Leora Mallach.
It is important to note that neither Leora Mallach or Magda Janus are registered Democrats. They both are unenrolled or more commonly referred to as independent. As discussed above in the pink box above, campaign finance supports that Yvonne Spicer, the Mayor of Framingham has endorsed Mallach. Spicer has never donated money to any candidate running for a Framingham position in her entire life.
On Mon, Oct 4, 2021 at 11:42 AM Norma Shulman <nbshulman@gmail.com> wrote:
I have been texting with Margareth about a deplorable situation in D7. I will include her description below. Keep in mind the priority is to protect the identity of the immigrant involved, as the last thing he needs is to be targeted for further harassment or by the “authorities”. Obviously the candidate is Magda, as this is D7.
I have included some FDC Executive Committee members and subcommittee chairs and a couple of councilors and D7 residents and some who can offer legal perspectives related to this candidate’s actions. I also copied Leora, D7 candidate, so she sees this conversation. And Jack and Maria in case they have a perspective from their positions as elected officials.
One idea is to make sure if there is ever a schedule LWV debate, the candidates should be asked questions of interest to immigrants in the district, especially about the drivers license bill!
Another thought is to post on social media and local email groups about the rights of people in relation to lawn signs and to caution people about claims of candidates being supported by a friend without any demonstration of proof.
Please reply to all with your thoughts.
Norma
From Margareth:
Framingham 2021 election campaign is getting ugly. I heard about many yard signs histories in the past but what happened this week has gone way to far.
A friend and supporter authorized a candidate yard sign in his house, I ask him why and he said the candidate knock his door and ask and he thought that candidate was my friend. Most Brazilians voters don’t have the time to follow the day to day local policial situation, as most of the manual workers, and really don’t understand it. I explain that the candidate is conservative and sides with those who voted against the city council support to the driving License bill, but since he allowed her he should keep the sign .
Yesterday the candidate knock his door because her sign was not there. He explain that he took the sign out to cut the grass and next day he could not find it. The candidate was very upset and told him the sign cost money and make him pay $20 for it He was stressed and nervous as immigrants feel by americas who act like that. He said he did not charge rent to host the sign and he could not be responsible for. But the candidate bully him and he paid. I explain to him that he should never be hold him responsible for any campaign yard sign and that he should take this as a learning moment that show him the candidate character. This is sad and should never happen in our city.
The responses rapidly came in, beginning with Massachusetts State Democratic Committee member Parwez Wahid, followed by disbarred and disgraced scumbag attorney, Mike Hugo.
On Mon, Oct 4, 2021, 11:46 AM Parwez Wahid <wparwez82@gmail.com> wrote:
Should this incident be made known widely?
.
On Oct 4, 2021, at 11:52 AM, Mike Hugo <mhugoesq@gmail.com> wrote:
This is disgusting, and we need to publicize this well to everyone! Maybe a “public comment” during a council meeting and maybe a Patch article? Certainly not in the SOURce, as she would never publish it. As a local party Chair, I am totally comfortable going public with this.
I am so pissed off about this.
Mike
The emails continued… and the words were strong, hateful, and nasty. To them this was not a mistake made by a candidate, this was an opportunity to deal a death blow, and they would use everything at their disposal to ensure it would be crippling.
On Oct 4, 2021, at 11:55 AM, Jim Hansen <egbdfine@gmail.com> wrote:
Not this incident. Because it could cause problems for the victim of the bullying.
But Margaret can put out loud and strong again and again an endorsement one one side and a reminder of the hate on the other side.
One sign is not the problem. Lots of them placed on false pretences is.
Margareth, I would personally give this guy the money he lost if you can bring it to them.
Jim
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From: Norma Shulman <nbshulman@gmail.com>
Date: October 4, 2021 at 12:38:16 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Confidential: For your feedback
As you can tell by my jumping in on this, I am beyond angry!
But an absolutely priority is the safety of the victim of the bullying.
Margareth, what would you think if we (either individuals or a group) offer him $20 to acknowledge how unfair this treatment was?
I do wonder who is using the false pretense of friends supporting someone as a reason why they should agree to host a sign.
Let’s give it a few more hours today to give others a chance to provide feedback.
Norma
.
On Oct 4, 2021, at 2:45 PM, Norma Shulman <nbshulman@gmail.com> wrote:
How about a comment during the public time at the council meeting, without identifying the district or any individuals.
Just warning people that any candidate claiming to be endorsed should should proof (email, coral media, or printed materials). And demanding a significant fee if a lawn sign disappears is bullying that cannot be tolerated. The council should be willing to make it clear that intimidating and bullying is not tolerated in Framingham.
What do you all think?
Norma
.
On Oct 4, 2021, at 2:49 PM, Rozzy Hooper-Hamersley <rozmo1952@gmail.com> wrote:
Makes very sound sense.
This is an abominable situation.
Best,
Rozzy
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Norma Shulman <nbshulman@gmail.com>
Date: October 4, 2021 at 2:57:50 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Confidential: For your feedback
The LWV just announced that they will hold a virtual forum for D7 on Wednesday 7-8pm.
I submitted this question as this is an issue Magda opposes (along with other councilors who voted not to support this):
Question for D7 candidates:
Do you support driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, given that this pending legislation is supported by many authorities, including police chiefs and others in the public safety field?
If we learn anything further about the sign incident, perhaps we can feed the LWV other relevant questions.
Norma
.
From: Norma Shulman <nbshulman@gmail.com>
Date: October 4, 2021 at 3:08:34 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Confidential: For your feedback
Already got a reply. And I don’t think they will use my question.
In this email a sitting Framingham City Councilor wants to find ways to create the maximum effect in District 7.
On Oct 4, 2021, at 3:22 PM, Robert Case <robertdcase@yahoo.com> wrote:
I think a public comment tomorrow night makes sense, but will it generate enough of an audience? I agree a Patch article is probably warranted as well to get the word out more.
Anything else we can do to push this out to the effected district while still keeping identities anonymous?
Rob
Sent from my iPhone
.
On Oct 4, 2021, 3:24 PM -0400, Norma Shulman <nbshulman@gmail.com>, wrote:
I hope that we can keep sharing thoughts until we hear from a few more folks here. Do our state reps have any comments when they have a chance to read this thread?
Norma
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From: Mel Warshaw <melwarshaw1@gmail.com>
Date: October 4, 2021 at 3:55:16 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Confidential: For your feedback
Norma,
The individual who allowed the sign on his property has hopefully learned a valuable lesson (worth at least $20). So, it annoys me that the FDC would even consider spending its funds to reimburse him. I don’t want to appear unempathetic, but this individual was grossly irresponsible in allowing the sign on his property without knowing anything about the candidate or the issues and then paying her the $20. On the other hand, demanding $20 for “losing” the sign was more than just irresponsible, it was outrageous, character enlightening, and deserves to be made public. I would support FDC action condemning the candidate for what she pulled.
Mel
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From: Jim Hansen <egbdfine@gmail.com>
Date: October 4, 2021 at 4:09:37 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Confidential: For your feedback
Well said Mel,
I would not be in favor of spending FDC funds in this, but my offer of my own funds stands. You can draw your own conclusions about why it might be worth$20 to me.
Jim
Unfortunately that’s where our public records request left off, as we only requested a finite set of documents from a finite set of dates.
The next day on October 5th, Neal McNamara from the Framingham Patch was emailing Shepard about the incident. ‘Someone’ had emailed him about the matter. Shepard responded back to him within minutes.
On Oct 5, 2021, at 11:10 AM, neal mcnamara <neal.mcnamara@patch.com> wrote:
Hi Margareth –
Someone emailed me about the campaign sign incident with Magda Janus. Do you have a few minutes to talk on the phone about what happened?
Thanks,
Neal McNamara
MA Editor Patch.com
Worcester, Framingham, Marlborough, Natick, Sudbury, Wayland, Milford
206-356-2328
.
On Tue, Oct 5, 2021 at 11:26 AM Margareth Shepard <MargarethShepard@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hi ,
Can you call between 3:00 and 4:00 pm?
Sent from my iPhone
.
From: neal mcnamara <neal.mcnamara@patch.com>
Date: October 5, 2021 at 11:30:17 AM EDT
Subject: Re: Campaign sign incident
Sure, what’s the best number to reach you?
Hours later, at the end of the City Council meeting, Shepard, violating open meeting laws, and utilizing taxpayer funded resources, without using names, the attack was leveled.
Under 24 hours later at 8PM, the Framingham Patch released their hit piece, completing the attack.
In it’s research, the Patch failed to interview ‘the victim’, instead just hinging on the second hand story shared by Shepard as well as Janus. The story reported in the Patch just two days after Shepard first shared it with Schulman – Shepard’s “made him pay” had changed to “voluntarily gave her”.
We spoke to Janus on the sign matter and we were impressed with her responses.
She told us that driving around her neighborhood, she noticed her sign had been replaced with a Spicer sign. Looking to get the sign back, she spoke to the man who told her that he now supports Spicer. She told him that she is not running for may and requested the sign back, he then said that someone took the sign.
The man was happy to host the Janus sign until Shepard spoke to him.
Where did the sign go, who knows. perhaps Shepard took it off his hands, or maybe he chucked it.
Perhaps he felt guilty for it not being available to return. Perhaps it was easier to say, “someone took it” than to say that he disposed of it.
What we do know is that there was no demand for money made, note even the Patch could report it from a secondhand story from Shepard, an outgoing councilor with nothing left to lose. The man handed Janus $20, voluntarily.
What was not included in the story was that Janus returned to the man’s house speaking to him, apologized, and returned the money.
What was deemed by Schulman and the FDC executive team as bullying actions by Janus… Janus she sees it as Margareth bullying her, “If she was a good councilor she would have this straightened out without making it a public spectacle.”
We support and will continue supporting Janus for council. We believe she has taken the high road on all of this. The only villains’ here, were the ones who schemed to ‘blow it up’.
If you are reading this page, or like our contents – we are hateful. Want to know what the dems think of you?
Norma Shulman was the same person that helped in the Spicer campaign while running against Stefanini in the library incident. Not to say Stefanini would have beaten the Mayor if incident didn’t happen. But he wouldn’t have put the city in such a situation that we are in now. The budget messed up, jobs created by this mayor that were not needed. Department heads are heading out of the city faster than ever, would take me forever to list. Latest is DPW head big changeover down there, Blake is a young guy should have been here for years. This is a nightmare, water, sewer, highway down how many guys? The real guys that do the work the nuts and bolts of the department. Union contracts in Park and Rec and DPW continue to be ignored yet guys still expected and have been working thru the pandemic. Park and Rec 1116 hasn’t had a contract in over 3 years city has forgotten their number I guess. Everything has gone up guys in their top steps haven’t had a raise in years yet insurance thank you GIC has continued to creep up. Gas, groceries, water bill, real estate taxes all up. P&R, DPW union salaries not so much. Snow is coming, water breaks continue, trash is still being picked up yet the city has chosen to ignore their obligation to the guys that get things done. Sorry Mayor you had your chance Charlie will take over in Jan. You and Thatcher can sail off into the sunset, Thatcher always looks like he is about ready to get a colonoscopy from the toy Cannon each week. Little guy with a big mouth. Soon Thatcher you will be free of the little punk, hopefully Charlie can have better control of this board moving forward. Oldguy is out for now, Tuesday is the day if you want change please get out and vote this existing situation has to change.