REVERE — The City Council passed a motion on Monday condemning social-media comments made by Saugus Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano that sparked significant blowback and accusations of homophobia.
The motion, put forward by Councilors-at-Large Steven Morabito and Marc Silvestri, called on the council to send a letter to Saugus Town Manager Scott Crabtree and the rest of the Board of Selectmen expressing disappointment with Cogliano’s failure to apologize for his comments. Morabito, who is openly gay, said he was appalled by Cogliano’s comments.
The comments in question came in response to Eliot Evan Smith, of Lynn, who had criticized Cogliano on Facebook over his support for WIN Waste Innovations. Cogliano has maintained that Smith is not a real person and is actually a former elected official using a fake account. While Cogliano has not named the official in question, former Town Meeting member Al DiNardo, who is openly gay, said he believes he is being targeted.
In the messages, Cogliano wrote, “I’d say [expletive] me but I know that’s your thing so I’ll pass” and “I’d say shove your comments up your [expetive] but with all the other things you shove up there I’m not sure there’s room.”
Reached by phone Tuesday afternoon, Cogliano said he was not contacted by any members of the council to understand the context in which he made the comments. He added that he “could give two [expletive] less” about the motion passed by the council.
In a statement sent to Morabito, Cogliano wrote, “You know nothing about me.”
“I’m the last person on earth that’s anti-LGBTQ or racist. You took what you saw and ran with it without knowing the facts,” Cogliano wrote. “When I do something wrong, I’ll apologize, and when I don’t, I certainly won’t. ”
Morabito said Cogliano’s repeated refusal to apologize for the comments added “further insult” to the “homophobic and toxic” comments.
“It is my belief … that the words spoken and written by an elected official should be chosen thoughtfully and held to a high standard,” he said. “As an elected official the people you represent chose you to be [their] voice and champion issues.”
Morabito became emotional as he recalled his experience growing up in Revere, which shares a border with Saugus, and said the messages “hit close to home.”
“I hope you can join me in admonishing this behavior,” he said.
Silvestri added that he felt compelled to speak out after Cogliano declined to apologize for his comments.
“There’s a moment that we have to say, ‘OK, I screwed up, I apologize, and I’m sorry if I caused you any harm,’” Silvestri said. “He had an ability to recant, an ability to apologize and he didn’t.”
City Council President Patrick Keefe said he stood behind Morabito before calling for a vote on the motion, which passed.
