An interesting development took place earlier this month in Boston as Democratic mayoral candidate Tito Jackson had to apologize for grabbing the arm of a female local NPR reporter similar to how Corey Lewandowski physically grabbed reporter Michelle Fields in March 2016.
Despite Jackson’s apology, such a story would be one that would merit attention outside a few local news hits. Further, the Lewandowski incident was widely condemned, but national, state, and local officials in Massachusetts have shrugged at this incident.
Whether it be national news outlets, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, or members of the all-Democrat Massachusetts House delegation like Joe Kennedy III, the silence on Jackson is not surprising but nonetheless indicative of a double standard.
Here’s more on what happened thanks to The Boston Globe (which also reported that no charges will be filed):
Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson, a mayoral candidate, has apologized for grasping the arm of a female WGBH News reporter and pushing it aside during a brief interview Tuesday night, according to a statement from the public broadcaster.
The contact occurred at community meeting in Roxbury, when the reporter asked Jackson about his past work selling pharmaceuticals, WBGH wrote on its website.
“He then answered the question, concluding the brief interview,” the statement said.
The reporter was not identified.
Globe reporter Jeremy Fox added that Democratic challenger and incumbent Mayor Marty Walsh condemned the incident in an interview, making clear that “[i]t’s never okay to put your hands on a woman” and concluding “that’s it.”
In addition to The Globe, CBS affiliate WBZ and the NPR station in question WGBH covered it.
