Cobb-Lemire Facing Recall, Apologizes For Social Media Post

BRAINTREE, MA — Several residents want to recall a school committee member over a Facebook post that organizers said disparages an elderly veteran.

School committee member Kelly Cobb-Lemire, who was elected to a four-year term on the committee last November, apologized for her comments. Cobb-Lemire volunteers for a local food pantry and makes deliveries to Braintree residents. Her Facebook post last month stemmed from her volunteer work.

"Yesterday, I made a food pantry delivery to a gentleman I don't normally deliver to," Cobb-Lemire posted on her private Facebook page. "He had a 'Veterans for Trump' sign in his window, and then he came out with an NRA shirt on. So wishing I believed in getting rewards in some afterlife."

Cobb-Lemire said her father was a U.S. Marine who served during the Korean War, and that she would never intentionally disparage a veteran.

"My father was a proud U.S. Marine who served our country during the Korean Conflict and my brother is a retired US Naval officer who served our country for 20 years," Cobb-Lemire said in a statement on Facebook. "I have two uncles who were boots-on-the ground soldiers in Vietnam. Anyone who knows me knows that I hold our veterans in the highest regard."

Cobb-Lemire said there was no malicious intent on her part when she made the post, but understands how it could be interpreted as disrespectful. She said she takes full responsibility for any pain her words might have caused.

"For that, I sincerely apologize," Cobb-Lemire said. It was never my intention to disparage the man or his service. Anyone who read my words this way should know I am deeply sorry for the pain I have caused."

During a public comment portion of Monday night's school committee meeting, Kim Duffy asked Cobb-Lemire to resign. She said she has a petition with the minimum 400 signatures needed to launch a recall effort.

"I'm wondering if she'd be willing to step down without costing the town she claims to love so much without causing the town to pay thousands of dollars for a recall, because the numbers are there," Duffy said.

Cobb-Lemire did not respond.

Town Clerk Jim Casey said at least 50 of those 400 signatures need to come from each of Braintree's six voting districts. He plans to meet with one of the people who organized the recall effort on Oct. 13.

If the recall petition is certified, the signatures would trigger a second step in collecting signatures for a recall election. Organizers would have three weeks to collect signatures from 2,700 registered voters. Ten percent of each district's voters need to sign on to this petition, Casey said.

The Town Council would then set a date for recall election, where a majority would be needed to remove Cobb-Lemire from office. If removed from office, there would be another election to fill the vacancy. Cobb-Lemire would be ineligible to run.