We know Republicans have no shame and that there is nothing the Republicans won’t say or no one they won’t exploit to regain and keep power, and the latest illustration is the shameful attacks on Democratic Attorney General Candidate David Leyton.
They exploited Debbie McIntosh, whose son was murdered, to falsely attack Leyton, the Genesee County Prosecutor. Then McIntosh launched an anti-Semitic tirade against Leyton, who is Jewish, on the Flint Journal’s comments section. After that, you would think the Republicans would pull the TV ad - featuring McIntosh holding a photo of her son and calling Leyton a liar - and apologize to Leyton.
If you thought that then you don’t know Republicans. Instead, they blamed Leyton for the tirade against him. In fact, the reaction of Republicans was downright bizarre.
The Republican AG nominee’s mouthpiece, the former chair of the Michigan Republican Party (MRP) Rusty Hills, claimed the McIntosh family was victimized a second time even though it was the Republicans that shamelessly exploited her grief and anger.
“If David Leyton would put as much effort into fighting crime in Flint as he does to attacking the mother of a murdered child, it would be much more productive," Hills said. "As a former member of congress, Bill Schuette has always been a strong supporter of the special relationship between the Unites States of America and the State of Israel."
Unbelievable. I have no idea what Israel had to do with anything.
The current MRP mouthpiece, Jennifer Hoff, who has a history of bizarre comments, did not disappoint.
“It is sad and sleazy, but predictable, that the Leyton campaign continues to attack a victim's mother in this way," Hoff said. “Mr. Leyton should apologize to Mrs. McIntosh for such awful accusations. The Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party is Jewish."
“The Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party is Jewish?” what, exactly, does that mean?
But the story does not end there. Schuette’s dirty campaign tactics using McIntosh have resulted in a very serious death threat against Leyton. According to subscription only MIRS on Tuesday, Leyton received a call from a male-sounding voice on the voice mail at his Genesee County Prosecutor's Office using the number listed in the attack ad.
MIRS reported the man as saying: “Hey, David Leyton, I’m a Michigan resident. I think you’re a piece of (expletive) dirt. I hope you get murdered in a spectacularly horrible way that (expletive) makes your family (expletive) wish people didn’t exist. People like you. Because you’re a piece of (expletive) dirt. And If I ever (expletive) see you driving or walking, maybe I’ll (expletive) swerve your way and maybe I’ll (expletive) run you over. Because you’re a piece of (expletive) dirt. (Expletive).”
MIRS said the police know who the man is, and that he “has a criminal record, and will be handled within the jurisdiction of Oakland County.” The reason foe the threat had to be the attack ad because Leyton is the Prosecutor in Genesee County, not Oakland.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer is calling on Schuette and the Michigan Republican Party to pull the ad featuring McIntosh from the airwaves before tragedy strikes.
“The death threat against David Leyton is the result of the hate-filled campaign that Bill Schuette and the Republicans are running,” Brewer said. “Bill Schuette is running a false attack ad against David Leyton, which he knows to be untrue. It’s outrageous that Bill Schuette and the Republicans would continue running this dangerous ad, considering the woman in the ad, Deb McIntosh, is being motivated by her dislike of the Jewish people, gays and lesbians. Anti-Semitism and homophobia are bad enough — now there are people out there threatening to kill David Leyton, all thanks to Bill Schuette and the Michigan Republican Party.”
Somehow, I doubt that will happen.
UPDATE: When you hear the actual audio of the threat, it’s even worse. The Two Guys Named Joe played it on their Oct. 21 podcast, and it’s disgusting. Like they say, clear the kids from the room before you play it.
3 comments:
"I have no idea what Israel had to do with anything."
" 'The Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party is Jewish?' what, exactly, does that mean?"
If these are serious questions, and not an attempt to deploy a [highly annoying, I can't help but editorialize] faux-naiveté like that of Mr Steve Benen at Washington Monthly's Political Animal blog, I will explain:
It's wingnut for, "...and you cannot successfully accuse me of the anti-semitism I am so clearly exploiting here, because..."
It's the Publican pol's version of, "...but some of my best friends are Jewish! I let 'em use the bathroom and everything!"
If you need help with anything like this in the future, you have but to ask. I exist to serve.
As a Democrat I am Ashamed of the Leyton Camp for using these issue against the Lady that he son was Killed and David Leyton did agree to go after the Others that were helping in her sons Death as A matter of Fact the Man that was put in prison Said he was Sorry to the Family and He also Said that he did not Shoot The Son but he was apart of it there for that is why he is taking the Plea. The Fact is this Case are a Matter of Public record and any one can go see them and you will Find that David Leyton Called this women a Liar as well the Office TP Johnson. the Convicted Man has Never Confessed to doing the shooting yet the Leyton People Find her Post and Call her all Kinds of Names she has to be able to Defend her self and She has. I will tell you I have asked the Leyton People as Well Leyton to stop this against the Mother as Well the Threats the made against Me for posting the Documents in another Homicide. I would like the People To know this is nothing New with Leyton and He knew We was Out there before he started Running.. I find that David Leyton Finds it easier and hopes by calling these people liars that they will be not believed how ever this Democrat is not done when David is Not elected I plan on Filing a Clear Recall against Him to even take him out of the Office he currently holds For Violation of his Oath
Fighting Fire Wit Fire.. You should have had Bernstein as the candidate. Next time do your Homework.
As a human being, I am ashamed of the Schuette camp for using the grief and anger of a mother who lost her son to smear a person who has actually prosecuted a criminal case. Even when she turned out to be anti-semitic they refused to pull the ad. Even when it led to a death threat against Mr. Leyton, they refused to pull the ad.
Like the police captain said, there was simply no evidence to even arrest another suspect, let alone prosecute them.
The rest of your screed is simply your baseless opinion, and it is very hard to read with no punctuation.
I voted for Bernstein at the convention, and I would have preferred him. But the fact is either one is better than a career politician like Schuette.
I did my homework, thank you, and that’s why I know you are way of line.
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