Milton town official resigns after making anti-Biden remark at Memorial Day observance

MILTON – A town official has resigned after he used a code phrase popular with opponents of President Joe Biden to conclude his remarks at the town's Memorial Day observance on Monday.

Steven Fruzzetti, who is an elected member of the town's cemetery commission, resigned from the post late Thursday afternoon, said Milton Town Clerk Susan Galvin.  Fruzzetti is also an elected member of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee.

At Monday's ceremony, Fruzzetti welcomed participants to the cemetery on behalf of the trustees, and thanked the staff for their work maintaining the cemetery and volunteers for placing an American flag on the grave of each veteran.

"Welcome, and let's go, Brandon," he concluded. The remarks were recorded by Milton Access Television.

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The phrase "Let's go, Brandon" is popular among right-wing critics of the president. It began last October at a NASCAR race, when a television reporter interpreted a phase being chanted by fans during a live interview as "Let's go, Brandon,"  the first name of the driver being interviewed. In reality, crowd members were chanting an obscenity directed at the president, and the misinterpretation has been used since as an alternate means of expressing the same sentiment.

Galvin said Fruzzetti offered an apology in his resignation letter. She did not release the text of the letter, saying she wanted to check with the town's lawyer first to see if the letter was a public document.

In a text message on Friday, Fruzzetti said he did not regret the remark itself or expressing his feelings toward Biden.

"I regret making it on behalf of the cemetery trustees. I have resigned from the board so I can continue to advocate for Republican policies that will reduce inflation and bring gas prices back to where they were before this disastrous president," Fruzzetti wrote.

At Wednesday's meeting, the select board decided to put the matter on the agenda of its next meeting for discussion.

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During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Earl Fay said it was disrespectful on a solemn day to honor the nation's war dead to "curse out the commander-in-chief" of the nation's armed forces.

Fay said "many of us were saddened, disappointed, outraged and disappointed" by the comment.

"He is to be condemned, as a representative of the town,"  Fay said of Fruzzetti.  "How many of our folks who lost their lives to do their duty did so under a president they didn't vote for."

Select board Member Richard Wells offered an apology to everyone who attended the ceremony.

"Shame on Mr. Fruzzetti for thinking he could use that or any public forum in this community for making such inflammatory remarks," Wells said at the meeting. "Mr. Fruzzetti, I hope you do the correct thing and resign."

The cemetery trustees oversee the upkeep and operations of the municipal burial ground, which dates back to 1672 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fruzzetti was in his eighth year as a cemetery trustee. He was elected to the Massachusetts Republican State Committee in 2020, representing the Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth state senate district.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Milton official quits after 'Let's Go, Brandon' remark on Memorial Day