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Health & Fitness

The Peoples Voice

Connecticut State Representative Cathy Abercrombie from the 83rd District Meriden and Berlin, was caught on camera whisking by a group of Sandy Hook Residents handing pictures and literature in the halls of the legislative office building during the Democratic caucus. As she passed by the residents extending these items to her, decline to accept them and saying “no thanks, I’m all set”.

Representative Abercrombie has since apologize indicating  “I didn’t realize who they were at the time, as lawmakers, we are constantly approached by lobbyists and others gathered in lines who want to talk to us, and while we do our best to accommodate everyone, sometimes it’s difficult to do so.”   

Her actions are clearly conduct unbecoming an elected official, these individuals did not look like lobbyist in the traditional sense and the statement she made saying “she did not know who they were” does not matter, they were Connecticut residents be it the Sandy Hook family or Pro-gun group, they deserve the respect to be listened to by their elected officials.

Another disturbing statement she made in her response that she is “a strong proponent of the legislation and had already decided to vote in favor of the gun safety measure when I walked by”, How could she be a “proponent of this legislation” on Monday when the bill was not ready according to other legislators who indicated they did not receive it until early Tuesday morning?  She did not sit on the numerous testimonies giving during the hearings that were held, her statement in favorite of gun safety is a little perplexing, as this legislation was not about making guns safe.

Never the less, I am under the impression based on her statement that Rep. Abercrombie had her mind already made up in favor of stricter gun control, without being involved in the hearings listening to both proponents and opponents and without actually reading the bill.

In a statement she made in 2012 to a local newspaper, she said during the contentious debate over the Early Release Program “she was not aware of all the felony categories eligible, under the early prison release program” and “Unfortunately, there are sometimes unforeseen consequences to what we do.” In a response I received directly from Rep. Abercrombie she indicated “the bill does not harm law abiding gun owners” and nothing could be further from the truth, her actions of not reading the bill or listening to her residents would be credence to her statement of last year and the one to me, confirming her ineffectiveness as a legislator.  

We want a legislator that would listen to both sides before voting on any bills that would affect the residents of the state of Connecticut.

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