November 3, 2014 — Gloucester state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, who is facing her own challenge Tuesday in a race with Rockport Republican Mike Boucher, also focused Sunday on Martha Coakley’s run for governor, disputing the existence of the “fisherman” that Republican Charlie Baker tearfully described in Tuesday’s debate.
And she also questioned why, if Baker was so moved by the alleged fisherman he met five years ago, why he has not worked to help fishermen in their communities over the course of that time as well.
Ferrante, who grew up in a Gloucester fishing family and has worked extensively with the industry, first as an attorney and then in her three terms as a state legislator, said Sunday that she believes Baker’s characterization of the fisherman denying his sons’ pursuit of higher education has been harmful by feeding inaccurate, negative stereotypes of fishermen.
“The entire fishing industry has been buzzing about Charlie Baker’s story from the debate – I don’t believe ‘Charlie Baker’s fisherman’ exists,” Ferrante said. “If Charlie was truly moved to tears by the plight of fishermen five years ago, where has he been?
“Charlie Baker is a man of resources and contacts,” she said. “He could have helped the fishermen when it was reported that House Congressional Republicans were holding up disaster assistance for fishermen. But he didn’t. For an industry so desperate for friends and help, Charlie didn’t show up.”
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