Sen. Tom Cotton, the right-wing GOP Senator from Arkansas, has sent letters to constituents who disagree with him on issues important to them, warning that they must stop writing or calling Cotton's office or the U.S. Capitol Police will be notified.
Great way to treat your constituents, even if they do disagree with you.
When I worked on Capitol Hill for the late U.S. Rep Edwin B. Forsythe (R-NJ) and Rep. James J. Florio (D-NJ), this is NOT how we responded to disagreeing and disagreeable constituents -- even those who contacted us repeatedly, used foul language, or who seemed like lunatic fringeballs. What did we do?
We wrote them a nice letter the first couple of times, and then pretty much ignored them because, after all, there is no way to reasonably deal with unreasonable people. (As Sen. Schumer learned trying to cut a deal with Trump to avoid the government shutdown, "It's like trying to negotiate with a bowl full of jelly."
But Cotton doesn't take that approach to dealing with people it considers to be nuisances, of whom there must be plenty. However, his office says it's only "in extreme circumstances" that the following missive is sent:
"This letter is immediate notification that all communication must cease and desist immediately with the offices of US Senator Tom Cotton.
"All other contact will be deemed harassment and will be reported to the United States Capitol Police."
Max Brantley, a reporter for the Arkansas Times, said he obtained comments from a person who reportedly received the letter after that person called to express "my grave concerns over his actions and support of this administration's agenda concerning a wide variety of subjects."
Those subjects included "the attack on our healthcare, DACA and immigration issues...national security...the rise of white nationalist fascism...the environment...the gutting of our State Department...the attack on the free press...and similar troubling actions & motives I've seen Seen. Cotton support and condone."
The constituent said it is both his/her duty as an American citizen, and First Amendment right under the Constitution to do so.
"I believe if Tom Cotton's office were to respond as to why they sent this letter, I think they just honestly don't want to listen to any citizen's opposing view or hear the numerous grave concerns U.S. citizens have about the serious & ongoing attack on our Democracy..."the constituent wrote.
I saw all of this today -- the first day of the #TrumpShutdown of the federal government that resulted from Cotton and other Trump supporters' demands, including $30 billion for Trump's idiotic wall.
So now they hold hostage 800,000 young people currently protected by the DACA program as well as children and expectant mothers who rely on the CHIP health program for health care. At the same time other federal programs, including the military, goes without funding even as the GOP tries to shift blame to the Democrats.
Yes, somebody needs to call the Capitol Police. They need to evict legislators like Cotton who are even afraid to listen to their own constituents. They have no business serving in Congress or receiving a taxpayer-funded salary.
#Trump'sShutdown