Marisa DeFranco is a liberal Democratic outsider challenging incumbent Democrat John Tierney in the 6th District of Massachusetts.
We previously wrote about the mistreatment of DeFranco at the hands of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Female Democratic candidate charges War on Women … by Democratic machine. Tierney barely won in 2012 despite Obama’s landslide in Massachusetts, and
Looks like the machine is shutting DeFranco out again, keeping DeFranco off stage during a women’s right rally in support of Tierney headlined by Nancy Pelosi.
Reporter: This [rally] was about equal pay, raising the minimum wage, affordable child care, getting more women elected to Congress. Or was it? One Democrat running against Tierney said she tried to get on stage, but was turned down today.Marisa DeFranco: I am a woman. The only woman in this race. And the Democratic Party says they want more women in Congress, well, here I am.
I spoke with DeFranco, who told me that she was attending the rally because she has a long history of fighting for women’s rights:
“I fought for rights for survivors of domestic violence, immigrant women, women fleeing sex trafficking, young women coming out of abusive homes, rape survivors, and I also represented a lot of women in business.”
When DeFranco saw that Tierney was brought on stage, DeFranco approached Pelosi’s staffers and requested that DeFranco be allowed on stage and be acknowledged as being present. DeFranco did not even request a chance to speak to the crowd, just to be on stage and be acknowledged. Pelosi’s staffers turned her down.
As to the fundraiser hosted by Michelle Obama tonight, DeFranco says she never got an invitation:
“I think it might have gotten lost in the mail.”
The primary is September 9.
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