During a recent radio interview Congressman Alan Grayson called on House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) to resign because of Cantor’s finger-pointing at Democrats for "fanning the flames of threats."
After and entire summer filled with Right Wing Tea Baggers being incited by the Republican party who has refused to call for civility and decorum in their own party, and what followed last week prior to the final votes on the HCR bill, with several disgraceful incidents of racist and hate filled reactionary activities against Democrats, Congressman Grayson has had enough.
In addition, his own family was threatened in his Washington DC home, when one of his five year old twins picked up the phone to hear a woman screaming that she was going to kill Congressman Grayson.
Below is part of the interview transcript on the Alan Colmes show: Liberland.
Rep. Alan Grayson Calls For Eric Cantor To Resign; Equates Words To "The Burning Of The Reichstag"
Florida Congressman Alan Grayson appeared on radio with me Thursday night and called for the resignation of House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) because of Cantor’s finger-pointing at Democrats for "fanning the flames of threats."
COLMES: I want to talk about what happened with Eric Cantor’s office, and what Eric Cantor said today. It sounds like he’s accusing Democrats of inciting violence.
GRAYSON: Ah yes, I recall that happening, well, what is it now, 80 years ago – the burning of the Reichstag.
...
COLMES: I was really surprised that Eric Cantor, who is the Minority Whip, says his office was shot at, OK, and then he literally points fingers at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee, saying that they are basically, you know – I want to get his exact words here – fanning the flames, "dangerously fanning the flames."
GRAYSON: I think he should resign.
COLMES: So you are calling for the resignation of Eric Cantor based on that comment.
GRAYSON: Yes.
...
COLMES: Resign his leadership post, or resign from the Congress entirely?
GRAYSON (sighing): My goodness. I’m not even sure where he should stop.
Grayson also relayed how he received a call at home last week and when his five-year-old answered the phone a woman said she was gong to kill Grayson.
GRAYSON: We had a woman call the house when I was in Washington DC. She called my house in Orlando last week. And my five year old – I have twins actually – one of the five-year-olds hit the speaker button when the phone was ringing. And she said if you vote for this bill, I’m gonna kill you.
COLMES: A woman said that to one of your...
GRAYSON: Yes. And my – my five-year-old went to my wife and said there’s a lady on the phone who says she’s going to kill me.
http://www.alan.com/...
This is truly horrifying. For Congressman Grayson to have had his five year old running to Mrs. Grayson to tell his mother that someone was going to kill his father. I hope that Congressman Grayson called the Secret Service and the FBI in order to investigate this death threat.
Of course, we all know now that Eric Cantor's building received a 'random bullet' and that his entire accusation that the Democrats were 'dangerously fanning the flames' was nothing more than a feeble attempt at the Republican parties refusal to accept responsibility for their lack of 'leadership' and their continual support to 'tap into the hate, power and control of the tea baggers' who are literally being incited towards dangerous activities that are escalating.
When given the opportunity (in writing from Tim Kaine) to denounce this escalating violence and incitement, the Republicans have refused as outlined on the front page of Daily Kos:
Today, RNC Chairman Michael Steele refused to sign a joint statement with DNC Chairman Tim Kaine that would read:
As leaders of our respective national parties, we want to speak to all Americans about the importance of conducting our political debates in a manner and tone that respects our political system and demonstrates to the world the strength of our democracy.
We have a system of government that allows the great issues of our day to be resolved peacefully and civilly and that serves as a beacon of hope to those around the world who yearn for political freedom, political stability, and governing without the threat of violence.
We have a system that allows people to express approval of their government or change the party in power peaceably through the ballot box.
Our Constitution affords Americans the right to assemble and petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Clearly, we have different positions on the merits of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, we together call on elected officials of both parties to set an example of the civility we want to see in our citizenry. We also call on all Americans to respect differences of opinion, to refrain from inappropriate forms of intimidation, to reject violence and vandalism, and to scale back rhetoric that might reasonably be misinterpreted by those prone to such behavior.
The reason?
Republicans see the statement as an attempt to force them to either reject the statement — allowing Democrats to say the RNC finds the incidents acceptable — or to sign on to something that the DNC would later wield against them. [...]
RNC Communications Director Doug Heye told POLITICO that Steele chose not to agree to the statement because "we don’t need to do anything on their schedule or on their timetable."
Sad that Republicans would feel "forced" to sign something that advocated for civility and rejected violence, isn't it?
And a recent reaction from a 'Call To Arms' prior to the HCR vote that the Republicans have 'refused' to denounce?
The call to arms was issued at 5:55 a.m. last Friday.
"To all modern Sons of Liberty: THIS is your time. Break their windows. Break them NOW."
These were the words of Mike Vanderboegh, a 57-year-old former militiaman from Alabama, who took to his blog urging people who opposed the historic health-care reform legislation -- he calls it "Nancy Pelosi's Intolerable Act" -- to throw bricks through the windows of Democratic offices nationwide. [...]
In the days that followed, glass windows and doors were shattered at local Democratic Party offices and the district offices of House Democrats from Arizona to Kansas to New York. [...]
Vanderboegh was unapologetic in a 45-minute telephone interview with The Washington Post early Thursday. He said he believes throwing bricks through windows sends a warning to Democratic lawmakers that the health-care reform legislation they passed Sunday has caused so much unrest that it could result in a civil war.
The Republican party is not just the 'Party of No'...the Republican party is the party that is willing to stand by like the cowards they are and allow 'Domestic Terrorism' to take place against their own members of Congress.
I applaud Congressman Grayson for calling for Eric Cantor's resignation, and Cantor should resign. If for nothing else, accusing the Democrats of fanning the flames, while never standing up and calling on his own party to help 'quell the violence and return a sense of civility and decorum to our political body.
I wonder how Eric Cantor would feel if his 5 year old child heard an angry hateful woman screaming on the phone that 'she wanted to kill his daddy?'
I wonder how Sarah Palin would feel if someone called her home and her little daughter 'Piper' picked up the phone to hear someone screaming that the wanted to 'kill her mommy?'
Well, the Republicans have 'designated' Congressman Grayson has the NUMBER ONE DEMOCRAT to defeat, and are putting their huge 'money and spokes people forward to ensure that happens. That is why Sarah Palin was recruited to go directly into Congressman Grayson's district and begin what may be the battle of Congressman Grayson's political future in maintaining his seat in the House.
On Friday night, Sarah Palin came to Orlando, and attacked Rep. Alan Grayson. This is what she said:
"I got to meet quite a few candidates who are lining up in a contested primary who want to take out Alan Grayson. And I think Alan Grayson -- what can you say about Alan Grayson? Piper is with me tonight, so I won't say anything about Alan Grayson that can't be said around children. [Good one, Sarah!] But thank you, Florida, for allowing candidates in a contested primary to duke it out over ideas and principles and values, all with the same goal, and that is unseating those who have such a disconnect from the people of America. That's what the goal is here in this race against Alan Grayson. Please fight hard, and do this for the rest of the country. Fight hard, and send a conservative to Washington, DC."
Today is a very special day for all of us to stand up and let Congressman Grayson know that 'we have his back.' Today is the big 'money bomb' to make certain that each of us can contribute something for Congressman Grayson's future in our political party.
Few have been as outstanding in their breath and depth of standing up for Health Care Reform, and for Holding Wall Street Accountable. Only the best of the cream rises to the top, and we Democrats have a 'rare' leader who we must together ensure remains a strong voice and leader of the future for our party.
In case you have not visited Congressman Grayson's two websites, I would suggest that you do, and in particular read the area under Newsroom on Opinion Pieces and under Legislation under Accountability and Issues.
http://grayson.house.gov/
http://www.graysonforcongress.com/
Today is the day, we stand up to be counted for Congressman Grayson, to show him our thanks for the 'way he has stoop up for us' and in particular the way he has stood up against the Republican Party on a plethora of issues.
My heart goes out to Congressman Grayson and his wife and family for what they just experienced. It was a very traumatic event for them, and I agree, absolutely that Eric Cantor should resign, as should Michael Steele for refusing over and over again to rein in these 'Domestic Terrorist Teabaggers' that they are 'using' as their new 'base for their campaigns of 'hate and violence' against their own countrymen and women.
Thank you Congressman Grayson. We Honor your service and commitment today. You are a true hero and and a rare 'public servant' with Guts, Brains, and Know How.
Cantor, Palin, Boehner, and McCain...these people are 'gutless wonders' who never put 'country first' let alone the 'safety or sacred quality of the very people they work with across the isles in the Senate and the House.