We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

According to Bloomberg News earlier this week, “House leaders are planning a vote as soon as Wednesday [March 5th] on a resolution to condemn anti-Semitism, a senior Democratic aide said, after a series of controversies involving remarks made by first-term Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.” The resolution was being worked on over the weekend by staff for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and others.

So while the Democrats in Congress were considering on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism, three Democrats in the West Virginia House of Delegates attacked a 67 year old Jewish woman, protesting against anti-Semitism during GOP Day at the Capitol. Those Delegates were Michael Angelucci (D – Marion, 50), Mike Caputo (D – Marion, 50) and Mike Pushkin (D – Kanawha, 37).

Said Brenda Arthur in her press release describing the incident: “I’m Brenda Arthur and I am a native West Virginian, an American, a Jewish woman, who came to Charleston to participate in GOP Day at the capitol. I came to peacefully protest hate speech and anti-Semitism. I came in peace, but instead I am the target of a vicious smear campaign orchestrated by Democrats who serve in the legislature and who acted violently without provocation. Because of their violence, a member of the capitol staff wound up in the hospital.” She was there for the same reason that Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer were considering a resolution condemning Rep. Omar.

Appearing on the Tom Roten radio program on Huntington’s WVHU, Brenda Arthur described how Delegates Pushkin and Angelucci approached her in a menacing manner saying “I was glad there was a table between me and them”. She said they acted “like bullies…with a lack of civility and the rule of law”.

And that they were screaming F Bombs at her. This is a 67 year old Jewish woman. Democrats behaving badly. Very badly.

It actually gets worse from there. Apparently Delegate Mike Caputo, also the District 31 Vice President of the United Mine Workers of America International, took the incident to the next level. The sergeant at arms, Anne Lieberman, another Jewish woman, attempted to defuse the situation at which point, according to eye witness accounts Delegate Caputo went off in a rage and forced his way onto the house floor during a the moment between the opening prayer and the pledge of allegiance. He then overpowered the young staffer guarding the door with such force that he wound up in the hospital. And literally adding insult to injury screamed an F bomb at him.

This is generally considered criminal behavior. So why wasn’t Delegate Caputo arrested?

Delegate Caputo claims that Lieberman said that all Muslims are terrorists, a claim Lieberman steadfastly denies. The misquote has been repeated across the globe, even appearing in the Daily Mail in London. Maybe the attorneys representing the Covington kids might be interested in the case. They’re the kids that got attacked for their MAGA hats on the mall in another capitol – our nation’s capitol – Washington DC. That’s an incident with eerie parallels. They have a legal action pending against the Washington Post and other parties involved in that travesty.

What unhinged these Democrats? Brenda Arthur’s display contained a picture of the plane hitting the World Trade Center and underneath, a photo of Rep. Omar and a statement to the effect that her presence in congress shows that we have forgotten. Over the top? Perhaps. But consider this. The Democrats in congress were considering a resolution condemning her for her anti-Semitic remarks. As Ms. Arthur alludes to in her press release, Rep. Omar is associated with Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. Recently it has been reported widely that Farrakhan has praised Rep. Omar for those anti-Semitic remarks. Farrakhan is infamous for calling Judaism a “gutter religion” and Jews “termites”. If you’re looking for over the top, that’s it right there. What’s over the top is the outrageous and disgraceful behavior of Delegate Caputo and his band of hooligans.

Here’s what Delegate Diana Graves (R-Kanawha, 38) had to say on her Facebook Page: “I think it’s important that the constituents of Delegate Mike Pushkin should know what type of person they have elected to represent them. On the Floor of the House, after the Session was over, he came up to me in a state of great anger and began spewing obscenities, and used language that should not be said to another human being. He said horrible, disgusting things to me in a rage because I stood up in defense of free speech. The same free speech he felt free to use to say demeaning and terrible things to me.” She went on the radio to talk about it.

Delegate Sharon Lewis Malcom (R – Kanawha, 39) told the Mountaineer Journal that Caputo shoved her. Sounds like a war on women.

Voltaire, the 18th century French philosopher, poet and playwright is quoted as saying: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. Historians associate Voltaire with the so-called Age of Enlightenment. I think we need a little enlightenment down in the Capitol here in West Virginia. It appears that in Charleston, if you’re a Democrat serving in the West Virginia legislature and you disagree with something, it gives you license to commit acts of violence.

Is it just me, or does it seem really outrageous for Democrats to commit acts of violence at the GOP Day celebration at the Capitol? Delegates Pushkin, Caputo and Angelucci were triggered by a peaceful protest. Violence is not the answer. These Delegates have no respect, no sense of decency and are a disgrace. If violence is your answer to free speech then you are not only anti-democratic, you are totalitarian.

West Virginia Capitol GOP Day Protest
Elliot Simon

Elliot Simon

I'm a retired executive and consultant. My wife and I have lived up on the mountain outside of Harpers Ferry since 2002. We have six cats. It would be nice if we could all agree on everything, but lately we... [More...]

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