OPINION

The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen must reconsider the motion to remove Joe Kelly Levasseur as chairman. The first vote, which ended 5-7 with Councillors O’Neil and Barry abstaining, failed to resolve a very serious problem that has been brewing in the Queen City for far too long.

Recently, Levasseur weaponized his social media platform to incite his followers against one of his own constituents, resulting in that individual losing his job and livelihood. During the July 6 board meeting, Levasseur openly admitted to contacting the employer himself. This behavior is a blatant violation of Article IX, Section 9.01 of the Manchester City Charter, which requires public officials to maintain honesty and ethical conduct and avoid conflicts of interest.

Can you imagine your own MP using his position to interfere in your private life just because you disagree or criticise? Levasseur has been guilty of this disturbing behaviour for years, including targeting people like me after I wrote an op-ed in the Union Leader newspaper calling for his resignation. I was not the only one calling for him; does anyone remember when the entire Manchester police force lined up outside the Town Hall to demand his resignation? And who can forget when Levasseur called for an FBI agent to be hanged and killed?

Law enforcement deserves our respect, not reckless rhetoric.

I want to express my gratitude to Alderman Pat Long for having the courage to take the motion to overturn the decision. It takes real courage to stand up to bullies, and we need more leaders like Pat who are willing to call out abuses of power as soon as they see them.

Manchester, like every other community in our great state, deserves elected officials who uphold community values, not those who use their offices and platforms to settle personal scores when their egos are bruised. It’s time for tyrants like Levasseur to step aside and make way for leadership that is ethical, productive, and focused solely on the well-being of all citizens, because he himself has proven time and time again that he is completely incapable of doing so.

I sincerely hope that we can all demand higher of elected officials.

Our children are watching.

Rosanna McMahon

Has always lived in Manchester

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