Newberry: Mayor forum panelist is biased

Mayor Jim Newberry says he will take part in Wednesday’s mayoral forum although one of the panelists is openly supporting Vice Mayor Jim Gray.

The panelist, Joe Sonka, writes a blog called Barefoot and Progressive. In addition to supporting Gray, he has been critical of Newberry and former Mayor Teresa Isaac, who also is in the race.

The Newberry campaign said on its Facebook page Friday that two of the panelists were in Gray’s camp. The second person was Rob Morris, the owner of Lowell’s Independent Automotive, who had started a Facebook group of business leaders supporting Gray.

The Newberry campaign learned Monday that Morris had dropped off the panel before the issue of his participation was raised.

On the Facebook post Friday, the Newberry campaign said that “some incumbents” would turn down a debate invitation if there were unfriendly panel member, but added that “Mayor Newberry is not afraid to answer questions about his record and his vision for the future.”
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