From Staff Reports 

Asheville City Councilman Cecil Bothwell — one of the city’s most outspoken Democrats — recently announced his abrupt departure from the party over its choice of Hillary Clinton as its presidential candidate. 

In leaving, he lambasted Clinton, calling the former secretary of state “entirely untrustworthy” and “a felon.”

In response to a request from the Daily Planet for comment on his action, Bothwell emailed the newspaper the following statement on July 27:

“The Democratic Party left me, I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. My dismay at the neoliberal turn of the party has grown year by year since the Clinton presidency. The recent corruption and decided shift to center-right policies convinced me that I no longer wanted to be associated with the Democratic National Committee. I will continue to support progressive Democratic candidates for local and state offices, but I will no longer lend my name to a corrupt national party.”

On July 12, Bothwell wrote on Facebook that “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....”

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. 

Sporting a Facebook profile picture of a Sanders’ campaign sign, Bothwell responded to the comments with the strong criticisms of Clinton and asserting he was “pretty sure a (Donald) Trump presidency would be the best outcome for the Democratic Party.”

Bothwell is known as an iconoclast who does not skirt conflict with other Democrats. Recent examples of his combative streak include his opposition to the city ban on short-term vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods and his support for turning the 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 contended that 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?”