Statement of Purpose

The gentleman from Springfield leads a pretty charmed life. Back home in central and western Massachusetts, he receives fawning press coverage of “grip ’n grin” events where he announces federal grants and other funding awards.

He has also become the inaccessible congressman. Since 2009, Neal has only done three town hall meetings, the last one on September 15, 2017, where voters can get face time to ask him questions. Neal, who is one of the most thin-skinned members of Congress, has said that he doesn’t do town hall meetings anymore because “they bring out the screamers.” Unlike many House members, Neal schedules no district office hours where constituents can meet with him. In fact, in his Pittsfield district office, the congressman does not even have a desk for himself.

Over the decades Neal has served in Congress, he has become more and more adept at using his powerful perch on the Committee on Ways & Means (which he now chairs), to help the broad array of corporate special interests that lavishly fund his campaigns. Neal is one of the largest recipients of political action committee (PAC) funds on Capitol Hill and he is not shy at repaying the givers of this largess with policy treats and goodies both large and small.

This website will allow you to explore Neal’s record in a number of critical areas including: health care, national defense, trade, retirement security and pensions, telecommunications and more.

Richard Neal will not occupy this congressional seat forever. At some point he will be defeated or decide to step down. Candidates to succeed him will, we expect, engage in debate about the issues. They will need to show us they are not beholden to powerful corporations. Our task is to organize a movement that elects a representative for all the people of western and central Massachusetts. We hope that the debate can be better informed by the information and data presented here.

Brooks Ballenger, Amherst
Matt L. Barron, Chesterfield
Jon Weissman, Granby
David Greenberg, Colrain
Charles Dudek, Williamsburg
Brody Hale, Tyringham
David Daley, Haydenville
Sonya Bykofsky, Lenox
Frank Tolopko, Otis
Kelley Johnson, Hampden (In Memoriam)
Michael Lachenmeyer, Wilbraham
Christine Warren, Shutesbury
Frank Farkas, Pittsfield
Nancy Stenberg, Easthampton
René Théberge, Florence
Susan Théberge, Florence
Glenn Warren, Shutesbury
Sara Weinberger, Easthampton
Mordechai Kamel, JD, MD, Easthampton
Lisa Gaughran, Amherst
Thomas Oppenheimer, Springfield

List in formation: please email us if you would like to add your name.