The camp where Sen. Scott Brown was allegedly sexually abused is under fire for another accusation of sexual assault. Salem Mayor decides to stay out of Mass. U.S. Senate race, while Brown announces $8 million war chest.
View full sizeMassachusetts Sen. Scott Brown during an Associated Press interview at his office in Boston, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. Democrats haven't found a solid challenger to Brown in liberal Massachusetts next year. That's raising concerns the party could blow its best shot to take back the seat held for nearly a half-century by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)Investigation into camp
An investigation into Camp Good News, the camp where Sen. Scott Brown was allegedly sexually assaulted as a child, has commenced as another former camper alleges experiencing sexual molestation at the camp.
The man, whose name has not been released, was inspired by Brown’s admission to reveal his own story of abuse to his lawyer.
"He was inspired to come forward because Scott Brown came forward. He felt empowered," said Mitchell Garabedian, the lawyer representing the man, according to ABC News.
The former camper, who is now an adult, alleges he was sexually abused by a counselor or assistant director at Camp Good News, located in Forestdale, Mass, when he was 10-years-old. The Barnstable County District Attorney's office has promised to investigate the allegations.
According to ABC News Garabedian described the man as a single man living in Boston. Garabedian said, "He is in a lot of emotional pain, but now that he has come forward my client feels as though a great weight has been lifted."
The camp employee who is being investigated for allegedly molesting the man 26 years ago will remain on the job, according to camp officials.
"If there's child abuse, we want to address it," Camp Good News Director Jane Brooks said to the Cape Cod Times.
Camp Good News came into the spotlight after the release of Brown’s memoir, “Against All Odds,” in which he claimed being abused as a young boy at a Christian summer camp on Cape Cod. Camp Good News confirmed Brown had attended the camp and apologized for anything that had happened while Brown attended their camp.
According to the Cape Cod Times, “the employee now under investigation is not the same abuser Brown described, according to sources close to the latest investigation.”
With the 2012 elections soon approaching, this latest investigation only adds to the barrage of news coverage surrounding the popular Republican senator.
Salem Mayor decides against Senate run
Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll has decided against challenging Sen. Scott Brown in the 2012 U.S. Senate elections.
Driscoll had been contemplating a run for Senate for the past several months, even seeking advice from fellow Massachusetts Democratic politicians such as Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.
"My passion is the city of Salem and making this city better," Driscoll told the Salem News.
Driscoll originally thought of running for Senate out of her frustration with Washington, D.C. and the partisan attitude in Senate that prevents legislature from being done.
Driscoll announced Tuesday morning she would not make a run for the Democratic nomination.
“For the past several months I have considered a run for the United States Senate," Driscoll said in a statement. "I have concluded that I cannot enter the race at this time."
Despite not running in 2012, Driscoll has not refused to run in the future.
"My first obligation is to the people of Salem, who have elected me to do the best job I can, here first, before I think about moving on," she said in her statement. "Plain and simple, I do think the seat is winnable, but there is a time and place for everything and I have simply come to the conclusion that for me, at this time, I enjoy my job as Mayor of Salem and I believe my work here will require my full attention.”
With Driscoll withdrawing her interest in running, the Democratic contenders that remain are Newton Mayor Setti Warren, City Year founder Alan Khazei, and Congressmen Michael Capuano and Stephen Lynch, among others.
However, all potential candidates have cited the amount of money necessary to competitively campaign as a deciding factor in their ultimate decision to run.
$8 million war chest
Republican Sen. Scott Brown requited against an anticipated Democratic push for Senate yesterday by announcing he has $8.3 million in his war chest, after Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll decided to stay out of the race.
This includes $1.7 million raised by Brown in the first quarter. It is estimated that Brown’s re-election campaign may cost upwards of $25 million.
"Finally, Senator Brown, like other senators from Massachusetts and elsewhere, is registering a political action committee, 'ScottPAC,' which will allow him to respond to requests for financial support from other candidates," said spokeswoman Gail Gitcho in a Boston Globe article.
The amount of money Brown has been able to raise is believed to be a reflection of his popularity.
“The reality is that Scott Brown is in a strong position today because he’s been exactly the type of senator that he promised he would be as a candidate. . . . And judging by the lack of activity from the other side up to this point, it’s clear many Democrats recognize that as well,” said Brian Walsh, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in a Boston Herald article.
Despite Brown’s $8 million in cash, Democratic contenders such as Newton Mayor Setti Warren, are unfazed. State Democratic Chair John Walsh said there’s plenty of time to raise campaign money.
“We are still early in the process,” Walsh said in the Herald, “but I am confident that we will have a really strong challenger in an election that is destined to be close.”