Dear friends and neighbors in Lower Providence Township and Montgomery County in Pennsylvania. Recently, some information about a local elected official has come to light and it is important that every resident that supports small businesses and the rights for people with special needs is made aware.

Background:
Cara Coless has been a Lower Providence Township supervisor position since 2019. As part of her campaign promises, she vowed to “represent everyone, regardless of affiliation to solve problems and build a thriving community and economy” (Exhibit A)

Additionally, she promised to “build a foundation so it is easy for local businesses to open and stay open for business”. (Exhibit B)

Cara Coless also has been elected to the Lower Providence Democrat Committee (Exhibit C) and serves as a Montgomery County Democrat representative, expanding her constituent base outside of Lower Providence Township to cover countywide residents and small business owners (Exhibit D).

The Concern:
Supervisor Coless has not upheld her campaign promises. She chooses to attack constituents simply because their beliefs do not align with her beliefs. She calls for boycotts of the same small business she vowed to protect:

• Week of 4/17/23: Supervisor Cara Coless posts in the Montgomery Area 4 Democrat page calling for a boycott (add them to “the NO pile") of a local business simply because this business is hosting a group that has opposing views to Supervisor Coless’ (Exhibit E).
• She has planned to organize a group to show up, take up seats in this business without spending money to negatively impact this business. Further evidence of Cara’s intentions can be seen in her exchange with fellow Democrat committeewoman Jenifer Maslow (Exhibit F).
• Supervisor Coless made more than one post on Facebook calling for the boycott of this local business simply because they allow groups with diverse viewpoints to gather at their venue (Exhibit G).

We are all guaranteed freedom of speech under the First Amendment; however, when that speech includes lies and calls to action to harm others, it becomes slander and/or libel. This is not protected speech. Additionally, there is fear that Coless' words, actions and Facebook posts will incite violence and hatred against citizens, small businesses, and patrons of the establishments.

The situation further evolved on Facebook:

• Someone shared Supervisor Coless’ post from the Area 4 Democrat page onto another page. Coless was tagged in this post making her fully aware of all subsequent discussion on that thread. (Exhibit H)
• Cara’s fellow Democrat Committeewoman Kellie Gehring began spreading rumors with the intention to harm other businesses, including a business run by a charity which recently opened an inclusive Café. The Café’s mission is to create an inclusive environment for employing/supporting those with disabilities and their families, to have equal opportunities to work, dine, socialize, volunteer and learn. (Exhibit I)

Concerned citizens began to investigate the source of the accusations against these two business owners. It was discovered that a file that had been created and published in local Democratic Facebook pages with over a thousand names of Montgomery county residents. The file also contained the names of their employers and of their small businesses.

• This file is being used by our local Democratic elected officials to target, slander, and dox the honest and hardworking members of our community. Taxpayers on this list are being labelled as belonging to a hate group without any justification or proof. Furthermore, Laura Winslow, the wife of State Representative Joe Webster (D - PA District 150), commented on this post encouraging the boycotts of business solely because of the beliefs of the owners or patrons. (Exhibit J)

Cara Coless has a history of inappropriate behavior for an elected official:

• During the Township Supervisor meeting on 4/20/23, she claimed that she was within her First Amendment rights posting in a private group; however, Cara has been informed in the past that written word in private groups have no assumption of privacy. She made a comment appearing to acknowledge that her views (expressed in writing and in spoken word) can be interpreted as inflammatory by her opponents and concerned citizens. (Exhibit K)
• During a speech given in 2020, Supervisor Coless created outrage within the community saying a racial slur in front of the crowd gathered to hear her. (Exhibit L)

Call to action:
Please join us in signing this petition calling for the resignation of Supervisor Cara Coless from all her active elected positions: Lower Providence Township Supervisor, Area 4 Democrat Committeewoman, MCDC County Representative.

We call for the Montgomery County Democratic Committee and elected officials including PA State Representative Joe Webster, (D - Area 151) to make a public statement condemning Cara's behavior. Supervisor Coless' unjustifiable targeting of disabled people (and their families), constituents, small business owners and the use of a racial slur must not be tolerated. Silence is acceptance.

To view exhibits, please go to https://www.facebook.com/SupervisorColessShouldResign