Emerson College is seeking to move an event featuring Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) out of the college’s Colonial Theater due to safety concerns.
“We are seeking to exercise our right as the owners of the Colonial to have the panel canceled for safety reasons,” the college president, Lee Pelton, said in a statement earlier today, before announcing the event was moved to an undisclosed location.
“The College just found out about Senator Jeff Flake’s appearance in Boston on Monday,” Pelton added. “ATG, the Colonial tenant, rented the space to Forbes, who is hosting the Forbes 30 under 30 Summit. Forbes invited Senator Jeff Flake and Governor John Kasich to a panel discussion.”
The Hill could not reach the Emerson press offices for immediate comment on the nature of the safety concerns.
{mosads}Local ABC associate WCVB reports that the Boston Socialist Alternative had been encouraging protestors to come and express their disapproval of Flake’s support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Though Flake said Friday that he wanted an FBI investigation into the claims of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh, he has also expressed his support for the nominee.
The Forbes panel with Flake and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) has since been moved to a more secure location, according to Pelton, who added that the college “is pleased that this important topic can be discussed and debated.”
Flake and Kasich, both vocal opponents of President Trump, are set to discuss “The Future of the Republican Party” as part of Forbes’s “Under 30” summit in Boston.
Forbes and Flake’s offices could not be reached for immediate comment, but the senior vice president of corporate communications for Forbes Media, Matthew Hutchison, told WCVB earlier that they were considering Under 30 Village at City Hall Plaza.
A number of Republicans, including Flake, have been subject to threats and abusive language for their support of Kavanaugh.
Flake said in a speech last Wednesday that his office got a call threatening that he and his family “would be ‘taken out’ ” for his position on Kavanaugh.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) also reported receiving threats and vulgar voicemails earlier this month.
Flake voted for Kavanaugh in a committee decision. Both Flake and Collins are seen as potential swing votes on Kavanaugh’s confirmation in the full Senate vote, which has been delayed for a weeklong FBI investigation that began Friday.