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Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Paul Ruseau. Gotta Know Medford learned there was a miscommunication when we tried to contact Ruseau before this story was published.
Medford School Committee member Paul Ruseau took to social media to defend his position and refute the Somerville Democratic City Committee (SDCC) accusation that he broke a pledge he took in May to not take campaign donations from super PACs in the 34th Middlesex District race. The controversy has sparked a conversation around the nature of such pledges and what constitutes a super PAC.
Ruseau posted a response on Facebook after SDCC put out a press release on Aug. 20 accusing him of breaking the “People’s Pledge,” in which he, Somerville City Councilor Will Mbah, and newcomer Chris Oates all agreed to take no money from Super PACs.
According to the SDCC, no money was taken from super PACs throughout the race until August, when the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance reported Ruseau receiving $8,104.07 from the Massachusetts Teachers Association Independent Expenditure Political Action Committee.
According to state records, MTA PAC spent $27,771.99 between July 17 and July 30 supporting several candidates, including Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven in the 2nd Middlesex Senate race and Ruseau.
The SDCC said it then informed Ruseau that he had to make an offset payment of $4,002.04 split amongst three Medford organizations: Friends of the Medford Public Library, Medford Public Library Foundation, and Arts Collaborative Medford.
According to the release by SDCC, Ruseau refused to make an offset contribution to charity. The release goes on to say that because the People’s Pledge has been broken, neither Mbah nor Oates is bound by the oath they took.
Ruseau responds
Ruseau, however, said he had contacted the SDCC for clarification on what constitutes a super PAC as it relates to the pledge.
He sent a statement to Gotta Know Medford, saying, “I’m so grateful for my endorsement by the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Support from our public school teachers is not dark money. It’s important that voters get the true story that the Somerville Democrats never responded to my request for clarification about how the pledge applies to labor unions and instead decided to end the pledge unilaterally.”
Ruseau said in his Facebook post that he supports getting corporate and billionaire money out of elections. He also refuted SDCC’s claims.
He wrote, “On August 17th, I asked the SDCC to clarify whether they think transparent labor union independent expenditures should be treated the same as the secret developer and business lobby spending this pledge was created to discourage – I did not announce I sought to break the pledge or refuse anything.”
Here is the full statement Ruseau posted:
“My response to a press release issued late last evening; I want to be sure to shed some sunshine on the situation – we’re interested in the facts, not deliberately misleading the public.
“Response: Teachers support my campaign – that is not dark money.
“Dark money spent on elections by corporations and wealthy donors is a scourge in our politics. I signed the Somerville Democratic City Committee’s People’s Pledge because I want to stop corporations from buying politicians and laws that benefit them.
“I never expected that the SDCC would use this pledge to try to silence our public school teachers and their unions. I’m grateful to have the endorsement of the Massachusetts Teachers Association to be the next state representative for the 34th Middlesex.
“The MTA independently chose to send voters mail and digital ads saying why they think I’m the best candidate for our kids, our teachers, and our schools. This is not dark money. This is our teachers making their voices heard.
“Equivocating an organization whose funding comes from small-dollar donations and union dues and an organization like AIPAC or the NRA is a fallacy – especially when the SDCC had not explicitly defined their terms within the resolution.
“I would never sign a pledge if I thought it meant that our teachers or any labor union has to stay silent in this election.
“I categorically rebuke any effort by corporations and anonymous donors to spend dark money in this race, and I support repealing Citizens United and passing laws at the state level to get corporate and billionaire money out of our elections.
“On August 17th, I asked the SDCC to clarify whether they think transparent labor union independent expenditures should be treated the same as the secret developer and business lobby spending this pledge was created to discourage – I did not announce I sought to break the pledge or refuse anything.
“As of August 21st, the SDCC has not responded to my question and has since falsely and grossly mischaracterized my response in the press.
“That is the kind of inside baseball the pledge was supposed to stand against, and I still do.”
Others weigh in on social media
After Ruseau posted his response, people took to Facebook to weigh in.
Medford activist Milva McDonald, for example, told Ruseau she wholeheartedly disagreed with his arguments.
“I respectfully disagree with you here,” she wrote. “Donations that flow directly through campaigns are transparent donations strictly regulated and limited by campaign finance law. Citizens United means Super PACs can make unlimited donations. We may like the causes or organizations behind some Super PACs and not others, but they are all Super PACs able to spend as much money as they want to get their candidate of their choice elected.”
McDonald goes on to to say that money spent by unions on candidates “is money that is NOT going to dues paying members, i.e. teachers.”
“Breaking the pledge also opens the door for other Super PACs to start spending, which is exactly what the pledge was trying to avoid,” she added. “It’s not too late for you to abide by the pledge by donating half the amount to charities, which could actually make a big difference to some local groups and directly help residents.”
On the other hand, Antonio Veneziano posted, “Paul you are the best candidate regardless.”
One of Ruseau’s opponents in the race, Chris Oates, posted to Instagram, saying, “In June, I promised to reject SuperPAC spending on my behalf. Even though one of the other candidates broke the pledge, I’m sticking with it. In Massachusetts, we have strict campaign finance limits for a reason and I hope all Democrats eventually agree to keep unlimited spending out of our races.”
Medford and Somerville residents are currently in the midst of early in-person voting, which is scheduled to conclude on Friday, Aug. 28. The state primary election is Sept. 1.
