This from the Hartford Courant:
Several Connecticut Republican senators called Tuesday for the resignation of Connecticut Education Association President Kate Dias following a statement she posted on the teacher’s union website. The post, in response to the shootings of two civilians in Minneapolis, refers to ICE agents “operating in and around schools, disrupting learning, shattering a sense of safety, and filling families and staff with anxiety.”
“The statement is 100% false, wrong, irresponsible and blatant fear-mongering,” said Republican Sens. Eric Berthel, Heather Somers, Rob Sampson, Henri Martin, Paul Cicarella and Ryan Fazio in a release.
Well, of course, the statement is actually 100% true, responsible and blatant truth telling. But there’s nothing new about Republicans lying and vilifying people for actually telling the truth.
One of these Senators, Heather Somers, is the Senator from the district in which I live. She gets elected mostly because the district is weirdly drawn, as she tends to lose down here where she actually lives. The district extends from here at the shore almost to the northern border.
I’m a bit surprised that she signed onto this statement. Not because I’m surprised because she would lie or attack people in this fashion. No, it’s because Heather normally practices a type of speech in which she carefully avoids actually saying anything of substance or anything that she can’t later say was misconstrued. I.e, she follows another widespread Republican practice of addressing issues by steering away from the actual subject at hand to talk about something else. She has artfully made the MAGA types feel that she’s in their corner while saying nothing to alienate the folks who still think the Republican Party is not the Nazi Party reborn. During her various campaigns for the State Senate she has consistently maintained that she need not give an opinion about federal issues, since she’s running for a state office and federal issues are irrelevant. Total bullshit, of course, but she’s gotten away with it. So, it is surprising that she has decided to weigh in on a federal issue, particularly this issue. Does she really think that anyone but the hardcore MAGA’s are ICE fans? We have a great candidate opposing her this year, and I think it’s a year when she, along with the other Republicans listed above, will be vulnerable. Joe DelaCruz, a former state representative from this district has thrown his hat in the ring. He’s got an amazing talent for reaching people of all political persuasions without retreating into the type of evasions of which Heather is a master.
After writing most of this I came across this article, also from the Courant, about Lamont’s speech in which he told ICE to stay out of Connecticut. Heather isn’t the only one who is supporting ICE, but this is even crazier. This is State Representative Cara Pavalock-D’Amato, of Bristol, attending the speech:
It’s one thing to attack folks who criticize ICE by claiming they’ve done no harm (here), but it’s taking it up a notch if you’re inviting them in. I just hope the Democrats in Bristol have a good candidate to go after her.