(Brookline, MA) - More than 100 women from across the Fourth Congressional District, Massachusetts, and the country have signed onto a letter supporting City Year Co-Founder and Democratic Candidate for Congress Alan Khazei’s lifelong pro-choice record and denouncing the false attack ad put out by dark money Super PAC Mass Women Vote. Signers include Newton City Councillor Holly Ryan, Get Konnected Founder Colette Phillips of Brookline, Estelle Borges, of Taunton, Mahsa Khanbabai of Easton, Aixa Beauchamp of Newton and Karen Mulhauser, past President of NARAL Pro-Choice America.

The letter states, “we are appalled by the completely false negative attack ad and mailers, funded by dark money and maligning Alan’s truly excellent record on supporting women, gender equality, healthcare and reproductive rights. But it isn’t just the lies about Alan that are bothersome, it’s the assumption that as women we would fall for a pandering narrative, one that maligns all men, dismisses true allies, and fails to support women in making an informed choice.”

The letter continues: “The ad’s claim that Alan would work with Republicans to trade on women’s reproductive rights neglects the facts. The fact is that in 2009, Alan supported Speaker Pelosi, Congressperson Niki Tsongas, Barney Frank, Ed Markey, all of the Democratic Women House Members, and President Obama in the reluctant compromise they struck with Rep. Bart Stupak to assure initial passage of the ACA in the first House vote in order to get it passed and move the legislation on to the Senate. The bill passed 219 to 217. If just one of those members had changed their vote, the bill would have died and the chance for expanding health care to tens of millions of Americans would have died with it.”

The letter, signed by over 100 women, cites Khazei’s record of being a strong supporter of women’s rights, from building the Boston Women’s March and co-founding the Sister March Network, which united and empowered 645 Sister Marches all across America and the world to stand up for women’s rights. It also points to Alan’s strong record of being a champion for the LGBTQ community, for the Racial Justice community, for young people and for communities who have been ignored and are really struggling.

The letter concludes by asserting that “being a male candidate is not the problem. Unfounded, unaccountable attacks are. A leader like Alan, who puts people before politics, is a true ally, has the highest integrity and represents the type of moral leadership we need at this time. His positive campaign represents a clear opportunity to reject divisive politics and dirty tricks and unify around the mission to solve problems and create a more equitable society for all of us.

For more information on Alan’s record on gender equality and womens’ rights visit https://alankhazei.com/gender-equality/

Attached below is a copy of the letters with respected signatories.

August 5, 2020
Dear Friends,

We write to you today to state clearly and share the reasons why we — as progressive women leaders, advocates and champions — strongly support Alan Khazei’s bid to represent the MA-04 District in Congress.

We are appalled by the completely false negative attack ad and mailers, funded by dark money and maligning Alan’s truly excellent record on supporting women, gender equality, healthcare and reproductive rights. But it isn’t just the lies about Alan that are bothersome, it’s the assumption that as women we would fall for a pandering narrative, one that maligns all men, dismisses true allies, and fails to support women in making an informed choice.

We know that women are smarter than that.

So let’s set Alan’s record straight.

Alan has always supported women’s equality, gender rights, access to healthcare, leadership, and reproductive rights. Again, to be clear, Alan is 100% pro-choice.

The ad’s claim that Alan would work with Republicans to trade on women’s reproductive rights neglects the facts. The fact is that in 2009, Alan supported Speaker Pelosi, Congressperson Niki Tsongas, Barney Frank, Ed Markey, all of the Democratic Women House Members, and President Obama in the reluctant compromise they struck with Rep. Bart Stupak to assure initial passage of the ACA in the first House vote in order to get it passed and move the legislation on to the Senate.

The bill passed 219 to 217. If just one of those members had changed their vote, the bill would have died and the chance for expanding health care to tens of millions of Americans would have died with it.

That compromise enabled the final bill to pass both houses of Congress and more than 30 million people received quality affordable health care — the largest expansion of healthcare in our nation’s history. Mass Women Vote Super PAC is accusing Alan of working with Republicans to use reproductive rights as a bargaining chip, when in fact, Alan supported what Speaker Pelosi, all of the Democratic women in the House and President Obama wanted and did.

Not only is Alan on the right side of issues women care about, but Alan was also one of the leaders behind the Boston Women’s March and he co-founded the Sister March Network which united and empowered 645 Sister Marches all around America and the world that were led by women and mobilized millions of people to stand up for women’s rights, dignity and a more inclusive and just America.

And while these are all excellent reasons to support Alan, we support Alan because we know he is not only an ally to women, but also to the LGBTQ community, to the Racial Justice community, to young people and to communities who have been ignored and are really struggling.

Being a male candidate is not the problem. Unfounded, unaccountable attacks are.

A leader like Alan, who puts people before politics, is a true ally, has the highest integrity and represents the type of moral leadership we need at this time. His positive campaign represents a clear opportunity to reject divisive politics and dirty tricks and unify around the mission to solve problems and create a more equitable society for all of us.

2020 is not just the election of our lives, it is the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment guaranteeing women the rights and responsibilities of voting. So let’s exercise our right to vote and allow women, and indeed everyone who casts a ballot, the right to information, facts, and the right to make their own choice.

Signed,