Barney Frank, Joe Kennedy And Jake Auchincloss To Talk In Newton

NEWTON, MA — For nearly a half century the Congressional representative for the 4th Congressional district in the state has hailed from Newton.

When League of Women Voters Frieda Dweck discovered that, she got the idea of putting them together in one room and listening to them share how the district has changed since 1981 and what it is like to represent a district so diverse.

The league president loved the idea.

"It's going to be a very interesting conversation. They have a lot to say, and they have a lot to share," Marcia Johnson said in a phone interview. "To learn more from people in talking with people — that's what we try to do both with education and advocacy work as a league."

At 7 p.m. March 9 the League of Women Voters in Newton will host a virtual round table with the past three representatives to learn about their experiences in Congress dating back to 1981 with Barney Frank who represented the district for 32 years, and then Joe Kennedy who represented the district for eight years before Jake Auchincloss took over this year.

The league, a nonprofit group with the aim of encouraging informed participation in local government, said the three men will have a conversation moderated by long-time journalist and Newton resident, Gail Spector.

Father Robert Drinan, also of Newton, represented the district for eight years until Frank took over in 1981, died in 2017. Before him, Worcester residents held the seat that represented the Garden City between 1913 and 1973.

"You have three different people: Someone who was there for many years; and someone who was there for a modest amount of time and then Jake who's new," Johnson said. "Their experiences and looking at how issues have changed and what they're experiencing and to have them conversations with each other. I just think it's a great opportunity to learn about people."

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.