For Immediate Release                      

August 7, 2009

Media Contact: Colleen Morse

(360) 807-1983 

Baird Should Apologize for Comments

Centralia, WA – In an article published in the Chronicle on August 6^th, Congressman Brian Baird is stated as saying that he is scrubbing his normal face-to-face town hall meetings with his constituents because of a “lynch-mob mentality” and in the Columbian he accused his political opponents of planning "an ambush" to disrupt his meetings, using methods Baird compared to Nazism.  "What we're seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics," Baird, D-Vancouver, said in a phone interview. "I mean that very seriously.".” 

In response to this reckless smear, Lewis County Republican Party Chairwoman and Washington State Republican Party Treasurer, Colleen Morse issued the following request for a public apology to his constituents, as well as appeal to hold public meetings.

“Representative Baird, as a psychologist and former college professor, knows the importance of the words he uses.  The reference to Nazism and the equating of his constituents to Brown Shirts is very offensive, not only to the brave veterans in our state who have fought in wars from Europe to Iraq and Afghanistan, but to all freedom-loving citizens who value their right to express their personal opinions about the actions being taken by their elected representatives – whether or not they agree with them.”  

“Representative Baird’s has never been reluctant to stand before his constituents in the past.  He prides himself on his record of town hall meetings all over the 3^rd Congressional District.  Extremely vocal opposition to any position he has taken in the past has never prevented him from standing up at meetings, listening to what the voters in his district felt about his positions and giving his reasons for his vote. 

“Hiding from his constituents now during this very crucial break, not being willing to listen to them – no matter the difference of opinion they may hold - and stating that he will take up town hall meetings in September, only leads me to one conclusion – Brian Baird is not in Washington, DC to represent us, but to do the bidding of the President and Nancy Pelosi.  If he is not willing to meet with us, then he should seriously consider not running for the office again.  Representative Baird should reconsider his decision and quickly set up and advertise meetings throughout his Congressional district before he returns to Washington, DC,” Mrs. Morse added.

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