It was one year ago that “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” had its first profile of Warren Groen, a four-term member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives who grew exceedingly more extreme over the past few years in his rhetoric on anti-choice issues. The first petty remark came in May of 2014, when an outraged Groen watched as the New Hampshire state legislature voted to create a 25 foot buffer zone outside of abortion clinics to keep protestors back. During the debate on the bill, Groen sarcastically produced an amendment that also provided a 25 foot buffer zone around slaughterhouses and butcher shops, saying, ‘‘Any organization that butchers animals deserves the same rights as organizations that butcher babies.’’ Groen co-sponsored an attempted repeal of that legislation, only eight months later around the start of the new legislative session in January of 2015. Around this time, he also stated his belief that Planned Parenthood takes part in eugenics, and is “cutting children into small pieces”. He’s been trying to defund Planned Parenthood on that logic now since 2011, and growing more and more unhinged with each failed attempt. A month later in February 2015, Groen upped his game by comparing abortion to slavery. He still had yet to sink to his lowest levels. That probably happened in March of 2015, when a group of 4th graders were in the state capitol, trying to learn about good governance and push for the red-tailed hawk to be named the state raptor in a bill they submitted. Instead, Groen and his fellow Republicans actually voted down the measure, ridiculing the kids for their efforts. And, Groen stood out among his peers as being particularly insensitive to the nine and ten year olds, when he chose to segue out of the discussion about the red-tailed hawk to rail against Planned Parenthood and abortion, telling the wee lads and lasses, “With its talons and then uses its razor-sharp beak to rip its victims to shreds, to basically tear it apart limb by limb, and I guess the shame about making this a state bird is it would serve as a much better mascot for Planned Parenthood.’’ Groen was ridiculed nationally by late night comedians, and even the Republican Speaker of the New Hampshire House called for him to apologize. He didn’t. Instead, he has continued to submit legislation to defund Planned Parenthood (in spite of all investigations into the organization finding no wrongdoing, whatsoever), and sponsoring bills to prohibit abortions based on genetic anomalies. Even outside of abortion, Groen’s voting record was extremely conservative, including efforts to try and repeal same sex marriage in New Hampshire, voting against a bill that would prevent employers from discriminating against a victim of domestic violence, and voting against the state’s attempts to repeal the death penalty. This guy would not compromise his hard right credentials with 100% ratings from the NRA, and every pro-choice group I could find. He is, hands down, the most unflinchingly conservative toss-pot you will ever find in the Granite State, and here at CSGOPOTD, that says a lot.
And, we have good news to report… Warren Groen opted to not run for re-election in 2016, so there’s one less insane wanker from the GOP in the New Hampshire House of Representatives who will ruin elementary school field trips.
One Year Ago, February 19th, 2016: Warren Groen (NH)… Original Profile
Two Years Ago, February 19th, 2015: Sue Myrick (NC)