In radio ad launching Tuesday, Consalvo pushes his ‘People’s Pledge’

City Councillor Rob Consalvo is again challenging his rivals to sign onto his pledge to limit the influence of independent expenditure groups in the race to succeed Mayor Thomas Menino. This time, he’s doing it on the radio.

“What we don’t need is the interference of special interest groups and undisclosed money,” Consalvo, a Hyde Park councilor who also represents Mattapan and part of Roslindale, says in a 60-second spot scheduled to start Tuesday on news and talk radio stations. “This campaign should be a conversation between the candidates and the people of Boston.”

A Consalvo campaign spokesman declined to detail the size of the ad buy or specify which stations are running the ad.

Consalvo’s version of the “People’s Pledge” is similar to the agreement Elizabeth Warren and then-incumbent U.S. Sen. Scott Brown signed last year in a bid to curb the spending of third party groups.

Consalvo’s “Boston Pledge” would require candidates to contribute to the One Fund if outside groups spent money in support of a mayoral contender. There are 12 candidates running for mayor, and the logistics of such an agreement remain unclear. The other candidates have not said publicly whether they would sign onto such a pledge.

A pro-union group billing itself as “Working America” is backing state Rep. Marty Walsh, while Democrats for Education Reform is a group supporting City Councillor At-Large John Connolly. The Boston Globe reported on Monday that Stand For Children, another education reform group, also plans to spend money in support of Connolly.

Both candidates have seen an increase in criticism from their counterparts on the campaign trail, after public and private polls have shown Connolly and Walsh at the top of the mayoral heap.

The script of the Consalvo ad is available below. The MP3 is available here.

CONSALVO: Hi. This is Rob Consalvo and I'm running for mayor of Boston.

Over the next few weeks, you’ll hear a lot from the candidates. This is an important election for Boston – and we need a serious and spirited debate about our future.

What we don’t need is the interference of special interest groups and undisclosed money. This campaign should be a conversation between the candidates and the people of Boston.

That’s why I’ve proposed the Boston Pledge – to keep special interests and undisclosed money out of the mayor’s race.

In Massachusetts, we know this idea works.

The Boston Globe recently supported this idea. They said the candidates, “should ask independent expenditure groups to stay out of the campaign.”

The Globe said these interest groups should, “set off alarm bells with voters because of their murky finances and unaccountable nature.”

And I agree.

So I’m again challenging my fellow candidates for mayor – sign the Boston Pledge – let’s tell the special interests that Boston’s not for sale.

I’m Rob Consalvo and I'm all in for the Boston Pledge – and I’m all in for the people of Boston.

ANNOUNCER: Paid for by Consalvo for Boston.

Topics: 

Tags: 


Subscribe to the Dorchester Reporter