Selectman Says Instagram Flyer Was Planted By Opponent

STOUGHTON, MA – Stoughton Board of Selectmen Chairman David Sousa is not only denying that he created a stack of flyers he left next to a pile of agendas at the Nov. 7 selectmen meeting but is accusing recall supports of being the creator of the controversial content.

During a debate with recall challenger Christine Howe that aired on SMAC Wednesday, Sousa said the flyers were left in his mailbox and he brought them to the meeting to show how he is being treated. The flyer included a post from Howe’s 17-year-old sister’s private Instagram account and includes a photo of Howe being interviewed with a caption that in part read, “Yes honey you take down that boys club no more bully white old men who’ve done illegal stuff.”

Sousa said the flyers were made by either the Howe Campaign or the recall supporters.

“These are false allegations. I expect an apology from the Howe family and campaign,” Sousa said.

Howe denied that the flyers came from her campaign and her family and said Sousa was wrong in distributing political materials at a public town meeting.

The incident led to Howe’s father demanding to know why his daughter’s post was being distributed.

“I’m in the hot seat but your father is going to come to protect you? Your father told me you can handle yourself. The first instant he already comes up and he’s trying to protect. You so are ready to become a member of the board of selectmen?” Sousa said.

Howe responded that her father was protecting his 17-year-old daughter.

“The issue is not who wrote the post or how you got them. The issue is that you put them next to public agendas for public distribution at a meeting. As a member of the board of selectmen, you are very well aware of what open meeting laws are and you are not allowed to politically campaign. That was a political flyer in nature you should not have distributed them at the meeting, regardless who wrote it,” Howe responded.

Sousa, along with selectman Peter Brown and Robert Cohn, face a recall Dec. 5.