VULGAR CALLS FOLLOW LESBIAN LAWMAKER’S ASSAULT

John McDonald

After being assaulted, U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig released audio of vulgar and threatening telephone calls.

The lesbian lawmaker’s office said the calls were “gutter politics” and likely the result of Fox News and Republican activists distorting her record on police funding in the assault's wake.

Craig, 51, was attacked in the elevator of her Washington, D.C. apartment building on Feb. 9. She fought off the man by throwing hot coffee at him.

D.C. Police arrested Kendrick Khalil Hamlin, 26, a homeless man who authorities claim has 12 prior convictions, including three assaults and two robberies. Hamlin, allegedly, followed Craig into the elevator, punched her in the chin and grabbed her by the throat before Craig doused him with coffee and escaped.

Police said Hamlin may suffer mental health issues.

“My morning coffee really saved the day,” Craig said.

Craig’s office believes Fox News host Jeanine Pirro and the National Republican Congressional Committee instigated the nasty calls by attempting to tie the Minnesota Democrat to “defund the police” extremists. The calls contain graphic and lewd comments that Craig got what she deserved; it should happen again and the police should not respond.

“Harassing the victim of a violent crime on national television is abhorrent behavior. The messages and threats received by Representative Craig’s office following the NRCC hit job and Fox News’ false and inflammatory coverage of her assault represent the worst of our society,” said Laura Cottrell, Craig’s communications director.

First they came for rainbow flags in public schools – now some Republicans want to ban them on government property.

“No other flag may be exposed to public view for exhibition or display, in any manner, by a governmental agency, local government, or unit of local government,” HB 1011 reads.

In recent years, many municipalities have shown their support for the LGBT community by flying the LGBT flags above City Halls or elsewhere on government property. Some Republicans want to end that practice.

Republican state representative David Borrero of Miami-Dade, filed HB 1011 which would prohibit the city from flying any flag except for the American flag, Florida flag or flags bearing official logos of the Firefighter Memorial or Prisoners of War and Missing-inAction. A companion bill in the senate, SB 668, was also filed.

The bill doesn’t actually call out rainbow flags, but LGBT activists see this as just another attempt to silence and erase the queer community.

LGBT activists naturally blasted the effort.

“The diverse cultures and communities that make up Florida are our state’s beauty and Floridians have long celebrated that beauty visually through flags. Once again, [Gov. Ron] DeSantis’ legislative allies are obsessed with censoring expression, including that of the LGBTQ community, to stoke outrage and avoid solving pressing issues our state is facing,” said Brandon Wolf, the press secretary of Equality Florida. “The right-wing agenda of banning health care for trans young people; books about historical figures; college majors; AP courses; and flags accomplishes nothing but serve up campaign content for DeSantis’ presidential aspirations at the expense of the people of Florida.”

The bill would also require every classroom from kindergarten to the university level to display the American and state flag.

“This law is just a continuation of the right-wing assault on free expression in classrooms. The law appears to apply to university level classrooms, so it not only impacts the rights of children, but adults as well. It raises serious constitutional concerns about the first amendment rights of both students and teachers,” said Russell Cormican, a first amendment rights attorney in Fort Lauderdale “By prohibiting the display of certain flags, the law not only allows lawmakers to prevent flags that honor certain groups, like the pride flag, but also flags that tell the story of our state’s history, like the Spanish, French and British flags. Flags are an important way of conveying ideas and learning about history and therefore they should be afforded protection as a form of expression.”