Joel Burgess

jburgess@citizen-times.com

ASHEVILLE - One of the city's most outspoken Democrats, Cecil Bothwell, says he's left the party over its choice of presidential candidates, leveling strong criticism at Hillary Clinton and calling the former secretary of state "entirely untrustworthy" and "a felon."

"Bernie Sanders announced the end of his campaign this morning by endorsing Clinton. As of an hour ago I am registered unaffiliated for the first time since I cast my first vote in 1968," Bothwell, who is a city councilman, said in a Tuesday Facebook post.

The post generated more than 100 comments from those supporting and opposing the move, including fellow Councilman Gordon Smith who defended Sanders' endorsement of Clinton. Bothwell, whose Facebook profile picture is a Sanders' campaign sign, responded to the comments with the strong criticisms of Clinton and saying he was "pretty sure a (Donald) Trump presidency would be the best outcome for the Democratic Party."

Bothwell is known as a firebrand who didn't shy away from conflict with other Democrats, most recently on issues including his opposition to the city ban on short-term vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods and his support for turning city-owned property on Haywood Street into a downtown park.

After his initial post Bothwell responded to some commenters who questioned whether he was being extreme and who said Clinton had agreed to incorporate some of Sanders' positions.

Bothwell said Clinton could not be trusted to carry out those promises and that the election of the Republican Trump might galvanize Democrats around progressive issues.

"I detest Trump and his made-for-reality-TV campaign," he said. "But I'm pretty sure a Trump presidency would be the best outcome for the Democratic Party. The DNC seems to have abandoned the people, the DNC congressional leaders seem to have joined the oligarchy. What more can we possibly do to create a revolution within the party beyond urging everyone we know to vote for (Green Party nominee Jill) Stein?"

Smith and some others pointed out that Sanders had said Clinton was the most viable candidate. The councilman called Bothwell's Trump comments a "burn the village in order to save it" philosophy.

At one point Bothwell called Clinton a "felon," "congenital liar" and "beyond the pale of ... human normalcy."

Asked Wednesday about the strong language, Bothwell said Clinton is "at bare minimum" a perjurer and her sworn Congressional testimony about her handling of classified information as head of the State Department was false according to the FBI director. He said he thought she would take the country into war, approve bad trade deals and increase "corporate control."

Buncombe County Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Sinclair thanked Bothwell for "his dedication to the community" and commitment to support local Democratic candidates in the fall.

But Sinclair said the best way to support Sanders' ideas was to help elect Clinton.

The party chairwoman said Sanders had "contributed to creating the most progressive platform ever."

"His supporters participating in the election of Hillary Clinton as our next Democratic president will be a display of loyalty to Senator Sanders, and the only way his contributions can move forward," she said.

Sinclair did not respond to questions about Bothwell's specific criticisms of Clinton or whether she was concerned that others might follow him out of the party.

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