Owner says: "Walsh would often get into vocal political discussions with customers during her shifts, often sitting down with the diners in their booths. We sometimes had to ask her to return to her duties and advised her to continue her discussions when she was off the clock. "

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The new and outspoken Rep. Moira Jayne Walsh, D-Providence, has been fired from her waitress job at the Classic Cafe.

The reason, Walsh said on Facebook, which prompted a frenzy of posts supporting her was: "See, since becoming a mouthpiece for those who are the voiceless, I've made a lot of enemies. I had a stranger write my first one star yelp review based not on my service, but on my political beliefs. I was fired ..."

The 26-year-old single mother had worked there for eight years.

Workers at the cafe's two locations, in Providence and Smithfield, said Wednesday owner Raymond Burns was not there.

Natasha Wallace, who said she was "a waitress and the closest thing to a manager" at the Providence site where Walsh worked, had no comment. Burns did not return The Journal's calls Wednesday.

Thursday, Burns released a statement defending his decision. He wrote:

"Walsh would often get into vocal political discussions with customers during her shifts, often sitting down with the diners in their booths. We sometimes had to ask her to return to her duties and advised her to continue her discussions when she was off the clock. These disciplinary instances were never about politics or free speech, but simply reminder of her job and responsibility to all customers."

On the House floor Wednesday, Walsh told a reporter that Burns called her over to a table last week and initially complimented her on the the work she is doing at the State House — and said he was "very proud." Yet Walsh said Burns next said her "political views were affecting the restaurant" and he had to let he go. She said she replied with a smile, and left.

Jokingly, she said it is the first vacation she has had since maternity leave. Multiple representatives came up to her to give their support. She said she has also received multiple job offers since being fired.

She is paid $15,429 per year as a General Assembly member. Walsh also gets family medical and dental benefits from the state — but emphasized the cafe didn't offer them.

Before beating incumbent Rep. Thomas Palangio to represent the city’s District 3, the Smith Hill and surrounding neighborhoods where she grew up poor, Walsh lobbied successfully with others last year to increase the minimum wage for tipped employees, from $2.89 to $3.89.

Walsh's Wednesday morning post said in part, "When you stand up for what's right, it won't ever be easy. But if you're very lucky, like me, the people who love you will have your back ... I won't be quiet. I'm a one-woman riot."

In multiple venues, and routinely on social media, Walsh voices her political opinions — including supporting equal pay for women, a "living" minimum wage of $15 an hour, paid sick days and equal rights regardless of color, age, gender, sexual orientation and immigration status.

One of the supportive Facebook posts came from Jessica Jennings, a Providence resident and cafe patron.

"Unbelievable (or is it?)," Jennings wrote. "One of our favorite waitresses at The Classic Cafe, our local diner, was fired for her political views in support of women. We [Jennings and her family] will no longer be supporting Classic, though we worry about Barb and the other staff there.

"Classic was great because of Moira Jayne Walsh, Barb and the other wait staff as well as the diversity of the clientele, but clearly this greatness was IN SPITE of the owner. I'm taking my lady dollars elsewhere. BE POLITICAL WITH YOUR MONEY."

Burns wrote that he issued his statement "to clarify the details surrounding management’s decision in parting ways with employee Moira Walsh last week. (While we feel that personnel matters should be kept confidential, this employee has waived that right by making inflammatory and extremely damaging statements in print and publicly on social media.)"

In conclusion, he wrote:

"This not a male vs. female issue, nor is it a case of attempting to silence someone’s free speech. This is an example of someone taking advantage of a captive audience to promote their own political views.

"For newly elected public servant to whip the media and her supporters into a frenzy with unfounded accusations, demanding a boycott and portraying our family in such a negative light is profoundly upsetting and potentially damaging to my family’s livelihood."

CLARIFICATION

An earlier version of this story inaccurately characterized a guest column that appeared under Walsh's name in The Journal in June of 2015 as a letter to the editor. In addition, that column was later discredited because it emerged that experiences Walsh said were only hers, were not.

—apina@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7465

On Twitter: @AlishaPina