Solomon Campaign Says Elorza’s Plagiarism Makes Him Not ‘Fit to be Mayor’
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Providence mayoral contender Michael Solomon took aim at Democratic primary opponent Jorge Elorza tonight after it was revealed that Elorza had copied an apology for a past arrest word for word from another elected official.
In a statement, campaign manager Jake Bissaillon said the copied letter “raises serious and troubling questions,” noting that U.S. Senator John Walsh of Montana dropped out of his race for re-election after a report that he plagiarized portions of a paper he wrote as a graduate student in 2007.
“Plagiarism is a character issue and if Mr. Elorza was honest here, he would say anyone who had done this isn't fit to be Mayor,” Bissaillon said.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe full text of the statement from Bissaillon reads as follows:
“Plagiarism raises serious and troubling questions. A United States Senator was just forced to quit his campaign because he was caught plagiarizing. And it certainly looks like Mr. Elorza committed plagiarism here. It is especially troubling because this was supposed to be an honest, heartfelt letter that speaks directly to voters about a mistake he’s made in his life. And it wasn’t even Mr. Elorza’s own words. This is really no different than lying directly to the voters of Providence. And that is troubling. For weeks, Mr. Elorza has attacked Michael Solomon’s character over a clerical error on a financial filing, a paperwork issue. Plagiarism is a character issue and if Mr. Elorza was honest here, he would say anyone who had done this isn’t fit to be Mayor.”
Solomon and Elorza face off in the Democratic primary on September 9. The winner will go on to face independent and former Mayor Buddy Cianci, as well as the GOP’s Dan Harrop.
Stephen Beale can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @bealenews
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