For Immediate Release                                         
August 6, 2009
Media Contact: Nansen Malin (360) 244-3294

Baird Should Apologize for Comment

Seaview, WA -- Congressman Brian Baird told The Columbian newspaper in an interview today that he feared doing face-to-face town hall meetings with his constituents because of a “lynch-mob mentality” and the potential for “Brown Shirt tactics.”  In response to this reckless smear, Pacific County Republican Party Chairwoman and Republican 3rd Congressional District Co-Chair, Nansen Malin issued the following call for a prompt public apology:

“Brian Baird should be ashamed of himself.  As an elected official and former college professor, he should know better than to paint constituents who disagree with him as violent mobs or Nazi thugs.  His comments are irresponsible and he should apologize immediately.”

Brent Boger, Malin’s 3rd Congressional District Co-Chair and Clark County Republican State Committeeman comments, “Is there no limit to what Democrats will say about those who disagree with them? Brian Baird calls government health care opponents Brown Shirts and his leader, Nancy Pelosi, says they carry swastikas.”

Representative Baird’s reluctance to speak with the people he is supposed to represent is, frankly, a little puzzling. When he declared his support for the Iraq surge, he held several town halls, defending his stand to the angry crowds irate with the position he took.  As polls show a growing and majority opposition to the Health Care Bill currently before Congress, Rep. Baird would be well advised to take time to listen to the voters of the 3rd Congressional District before returning to Washington DC to vote on such an important and far reaching bill.

“We should expect more from a sitting U.S. Congressman than to call names and disparage citizens in order to provide himself political cover for being unresponsive and out of touch.” Malin adds.

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