Democratic Party, which has made controversial comments about abortion, withdraws from public meeting to dine with senators as parents protest

FRAMINGHAM – A local Democrat promised to attend a city council meeting to apologize for complaining about the cost of special education for children with disabilities who didn’t get an abortion, but skipped it after angry parents and disability advocates protested.

Michael Hugo, chairman of the Framingham Democratic Committee, stated on February 7: Framingham, Massachusetts city council meeting saying special needs children who haven’t had an abortion are a financial burden on the school system. In a letter to the council that night, he promised to attend the next meeting to apologize in person, then issued a written apology to the public after 10 days of backlash.

“I thought he would be here tonight because he said he would be here tonight and apologize publicly,” City Council Chairman Philip Ottaviani said during a meeting on Tuesday. “I know that last night he mentioned that he would be in Washington, and tonight he wrote to me that he was in Washington and could not attend.”

Hugo told Fox News that he did not plan to attend the meeting. He said he was at a dinner party with senators and members of Congress and that he was in Washington, DC to request additional funding for various local programs.

PARENTS AGAINST DEM WHO COMPLAINTED ABOUT THE COST OF DISABLED CHILDREN WHO DID NOT ABORTE

SEE MORE FOX NEWS DIGITAL ORIGINALS HERE

Hugo added that he was confused when the Framingham City Council met.

Hugo declined to be interviewed.

Ottaviani said during Tuesday’s meeting that if he makes remarks like Hugo’s, “there will be people telling me to leave the room and not come back.”

“My wife would have told me the same thing,” he added.

Framingham City Council Chairman Philip Ottaviani responds to Michael Hugo at City Council meeting Feb. 28. (Fox News)

“Providing a large number of special services to children born with a defect”

Hugo’s initial comments were about a potential city council proclamation for access to abortion and crisis pregnancy centers in Framingham. He expressed concern about unborn children with misdiagnosed defects, which could lead to the birth of a disabled child and strain the school budget.

MOTHERS SHARE HOW CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS HELPED THEM FROM ABORTION: ‘GREAT EDUCATION’

“This is becoming a very local issue because our school budget will have to cover the cost of a child in special education, providing many, many special services to children who are born with a defect,” Hugo said at the Feb. 7 meeting. .

Immediately afterwards, Hugo sent a letter to the council informing them that he would attend the next meeting.

“I intend to appear before the city council at your next meeting to personally apologize for the way my statement sounded and provide a more detailed explanation,” he wrote in a February 7 letter.

On February 17, Hugo apologized to the Framingham Democratic Committee and members of the Massachusetts community of families with disabilities, calling his comments “insulting and hurtful.” Hugo said the committee did not consider his planned remarks, although he sent them out the day before the city council meeting.

On Sunday, the Framingham Democratic Committee rejected a proposal to include discussion of Hugo’s possible suspension at a future meeting, although members voted unanimously to condemn his remarks. Ottaviani, the chairman of the city council, who is also a member of the committee, voted in favor of the initiative.

“If Mr Hugo stepped down and we had the leadership of Framingham Dems, that would be gone,” Ottaviani said at a city council meeting on Tuesday. “All I wanted was discussion to move forward, but loud and clear nobody is resigning.”

Laura Green with other demonstrators outside Framingham City Hall protesting Michael Hugo’s comments. (Fox News)

Shortly before Tuesday’s City Council meeting, which Hugo initially said he would attend, community members, parents and local officials protested outside City Hall to show support for the disability community.

MA GOVERNOR CHARLES BAKER SIGNS ABORTION PROTECTION BILL

Mike Cannon, a Democratic city councilman who attended the protest, told Fox News that the failure of the Framingham Democratic Committee to pass a proposal that would only discuss Huge’s dismissal “sends a strong signal to many people in our community that perhaps these comments were not heard.” rejected as much as they should have been.”

“I think this group needs a change in chairman and a change in the executive committee,” Cannon added.

Framingham City Councilman Mike Cannon told Fox News that the Mike Hugo controversy “doesn’t seem to be dying down.” (Fox News)

“I won’t deal with this issue anymore”

Hugo, who was in Washington DC at the time of the meeting, also refused to scale up the meeting.

In a text message provided by Fox News, Ottaviani asked Hugo during the meeting if he would call.

“I am in DC and cannot join you. I apologized on the night of your meeting and will not discuss this matter further. I’m at a dinner party for a couple of members of Congress and three senators.” Hugo answered.

AG GARLAND CLAIMS FBI EXPENDED ‘ALL RESOURCES’ TO TRACK ATTACKS ON LIFE PROTECTION CENTERS DESPITE SEVERAL ARRESTS

Cannon told Fox News that guests and attendees use Zoom very often for meetings.

“I was expecting him to come or at least dial a number, anyone can connect via Zoom,” Cannon told Fox News. “Based on what I’m hearing from the community, this issue doesn’t seem to go away.”

Michael Hugo, a spokesman for the local Democratic Party in Framingham, Massachusetts, questioned the cost of children with Down syndrome in his city who didn’t get an abortion. (BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Hugo’s absence meant he missed the voices of angry parents during Tuesday’s city council meeting.

“A well-educated lawyer should never think that a woman who has given birth to a child with a disability has just made a burden,” said Cheryl Kaira, whose daughter attended Framingham Public School with Down Syndrome.

MASSCHUSSETTS DEMOCRAT’S “EUGENIC VIEW” ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN HACKED BY ACTIVISTS: “PRENATAL EXECUTION”

Parents protest at City Hall

Susie Santone, a disabled woman from Framingham who took part in the protest, said she was upset by the critics who turned the situation into a partisan issue.

A protest poster outside Framingham City Hall calling for Michael Hugo to resign following his controversial comments about abortion. (Fox News)

“It’s not about the Democrats, it’s not about the Republicans, it’s about the kids,” she said. “People are so ingrained in the political side of it that they forget about the kids.”

“You can apologize all you want, but you have to confirm it,” Santone added. “If you’re going to apologize, there has to be action behind the apology, otherwise it will just be empty words and there was no action.”

She added that Hugo should step down to show that “he understands the impact his comment has made”.

WASHINGTON LAW PASSED ABORTION PROTECTION ACT

And Jeannette Leombruno, vice chairman of the city council, who also attended the protest, said that many in the community did not consider Hugo’s apology sufficient. She said he should retire.

“These children have the right to be born,” she added, excited. “We have to stand up for them.”

John Fetherston stands with son saying his son is not a burden after Michael Hugo’s remarks about abortion and special education. (Fox News)

John Fetherston, who organized the demonstration, told Fox News he was disappointed by Hugo’s absence.

“His insincere apology and ability to not even come and meet with the city council tonight shows you the true nature of Michael Hugo. His character is not perfect, and I am extremely disappointed,” Fetherston said. “It just proved once again that his apology is utterly hypocritical.”

“He didn’t even have the dignity to pick up the phone and call and apologize to the city council, so I think his actions speak much louder than his pathetic words,” Fetherston added.

Hugo’s term ends in April 2024.

Fox News reached out to Hugo for comment on why he was not present at the meeting. He responded with a March 1 photograph of the Congress House office building pass.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I’m here to ask for more local funding for housing, food, mental health, and mental health and nutrition education services,” Hugo said in a follow-up email. “I’m here to do the job, and as much as I’d love to be at the board meeting last night, I have responsibilities to people I can speak for who can’t defend themselves.”

He did not explain why he did not approach the meeting and whether he will attend the meeting in the future.

To read more about the backlash against Hugo, click here.