The state senator representing parts of Somerville, as well as Medford, Woburn and Winchester, defended Alderman-at-Large Denise M. Provost Jan. 29 against a group formed to defeat her in November.

“Democracy often comes at a price,” said State Sen. Charles E. Shannon, D-Somerville, who serves as the chairman of the senate’s Committee of the Third Reading.

Shannon said, “Apparently a group has formed-Somerville Citizens Rallying Against Provost or: SCRAP-ostensibly to oust Alderman Denise Provost, who took a lead role in accepting the resolution, which called for the Somerville Retirement Board to divest from Israel, as it engages in human rights violations against Palestinian civilians.

“Now that the recent furor over the Board of Aldermen’s divestiture resolution has died down, it appears one group is intent on inflicting a local casualty,” he said. “Alderman Provost should be commended, not targeted.”

“As the debate raged for several weeks, I was asked to weigh in on the issue. I choose not to then, for several reasons. This resolution would have no force of law, and in fact, did not even require the threatened veto by the mayor,” he said.

“But upon learning that a group is targeting a local elected official for doing her job, I felt compelled to address what I see as the larger issue here,” he said.

The senator said it was unfair to play politics with funds dedicated to securing the futures of the families of city workers. “It also would not be sent to the legislature, for a vote by me, or any of my colleagues. It was, and remains, an issue for Somerville’s retirement board and the active and retired municipal employees on whose behalf it invests.”

Despite the turmoil, the senator said he felt some good will come from it. “The City of Somerville was benefited by the public attention and debate that surrounded this issue. The opponents of this resolution complained that it was unfair to single out Israel for divesture.”

“As a result, people began to think about the bigger picture, like foreign divestiture in general,” he said.

“Other resolutions came forth, requesting further dialogue, through the Somerville Conversations, on bringing peace and justice to Israel and Palestine. This is the way democracy is supposed to work,” Shannon said.

“This is what she gets for ensuring that an issue receives the full and thorough public debate that it deserves-no matter how contentious? Looks like it’s time for SCRAP to be scrapped!