New Bedford Mayoral Candidate Moultrie Not in Favor of ROE Act

NEW BEDFORD — Mayoral candidate Richard Tyson Moultrie is speaking out on multiple issues after being thrown back into the Mayor’s race last week.

A Springfield native new to the city, Moultrie placed third in the preliminary election behind incumbent Mayor Jon Mitchell and City Councilor At-Large Brian Gomes, was suddenly thrown back into the election when Gomes announced on WBSM last week that he’d be withdrawing his name from the mayor’s race and solely seek re-election to his current Council seat.

Moultrie joined the Barry Richard Show to discuss his new shot at the Mayor’s Office, his platform and current issues facing the city.

When it comes to one controversial bill, known as the ROE Act, Moultrie says he would not have signed his name in support of it as Mayor Mitchell did along with 15 other mayors from across the state last week. Moultrie says it would be a waste of his time as mayor to worry about such an issue.

“Would I have signed it? No, because I think that’s a frivolous waste of my time because there are other things we need to focus on in New Bedford and take care of instead of worrying about things that are literally outside of the municipalities reach,” said Moultrie, before giving his personal thoughts on the bill.

“For me, it’s more about how you as a parent, you as a grandparent, you as an aunt, you as an uncle is involved in the lives of those kids that you’re so worried about. If you believe that legislation is going to do a better job at raising your child than you can, you’re probably in the wrong spot.”

According to the State House News Service, five out of the group of 16 mayors rallied outside the statehouse Tuesday to urge lawmakers to pass the bill, which aims to increase access to abortion and to speak generally about reproductive care access. The gathering included Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera, Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer, Newburyport Mayor Donna Holaday and Easthampton Mayor Nicolle LaChapelle.

The bill would take away parental consent requirements for teenagers seeking an abortion, would allow for abortions to be performed after 24 weeks of pregnancy to protect the physical or mental health of a patient, and would include abortion in the pregnancy-related "safety-net" health coverage for citizens that are ineligible for MassHealth.

The letter is also signed by Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, Medford Mayor Stephanie Burke, Salem Mayor Kimberly Driscoll, Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern, Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill, Melorse Mayor Gail Infurna and Malden Mayor Gary Christenson.

WBSM News has not received a reply to requests for comment from the Mayor.