Republican U.S. Senator Scott Brown wrote a letter to the Board of Selectmen of Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, Thursday urging them not to revoke the taxi license of Morgan Reitzas, the Martha’s Vineyard cabbie who was involved in an altercation with a Republican campaign tracker last weekend.
"I do not think that taking away this man's livelihood is the appropriate response to what occurred. We are in tough economic times. Mr. Reitzas has a young daughter, and I am concerned about how he would support his family if he lost his license. He seems like a regular guy who's just trying to get by like everyone else. It is my hope that he will be allowed to continue with his job and get back to his life," Brown wrote.
Since the Free Beacon first identified Reitzas Tuesday, the 36-year old owner of Vineyard Transport has been subjected to intense media coverage.
The Warren campaign attempted to distance itself from Reitzas, but the Free Beacon published a photo from mid-July, more than one month before the confrontation, showing Reitzas with his arm around Warren and her husband Bruce Mann.
Reitzas held a press conference Wednesday alongside his lawyer, Democratic state politician and Massachusetts Democratic State Committee donor Daniel Larkosh.
Larkosh stated that Reitzas allegedly attacked the videographer out of concern for his 4-year-old daughter, who he said was in the cab alongside Warren and her campaign staff.
Attorney Larkosh acknowledged that Reitzas "overreacted" to the presence of the Republican tracker.
"As a public figure, I encounter ‘trackers’ daily," Brown wrote. "Their constant presence is part of the political process, and candidates and their staff need to respect their right to participate in that process. When candidates bring in outside help, they need to make a good faith effort to make sure those individuals do not overreact to people who are just doing their jobs. In this instance, it is clear Mr. Reitzas was not educated about the dos and don'ts of the campaign trail."
"Mr. Reitzas was put into a situation that is foreign to most people, he did not understand what was going on and he let his emotions get the better of him. While this doesn't excuse his behavior, Mr. Reitzas has recognized that he was out of line and his attorney has expressed regret on his behalf for what happened," Brown wrote.
Public opinion of Reitzas’ actions has been negative.
"I don’t know if he thought he was a bodyguard, or he thought he was Secret Service or something, but I don’t think that was necessary," a Martha’s Vineyard resident told a local television reporter.
"Morgan’s an idiot," said another Martha’s Vineyard resident.
Reitzas did not respond to previous Free Beacon requests for comment.