elaine morgan – RI Future

November 19, 2015November 20, 2015

Cathie Cool Rumsey will run against Elaine Morgan

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Catherine Cool Rumsey, a former District 34 state senator who was defeated by embattled Sen Elaine Morgan in 2014, was “horrified” by Morgan’s infamous email besmirching Islam was “horrified” and said it solidified her intention to run against Morgan in 2016.

“It does not represent the district,” she told me. “We need to represent our state and country in a better light.”

Cool Rumsey lost to Morgan 52 to 47 percent in 2014. A one-term progressive Democrat, Cool Rumsey defeated conservative Republican Frank Maher 55 to 44 percent in 2012. District 34 is made up of portions of Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond and West Greenwich.

In the 2014 cycle, Cool Rumsey was endorsed by Clean Water Action, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, RI Young Democrats, RI Progressive Democrats and the RI Sierra Club, among others.

Morgan made national headlines with an email she sent that said, among other offensive passages, “The Muslim religion and philosophy is to murder, rape, and decapitate anyone who is a non Muslim.” She was writing because she doesn’t think America should accept refugees fleeing war-torn areas of the Middle East.

Fellow Republican rep. Bobby Nardolillo, who held a State House event today on the same issue today, said Morgan should consider apologizing to Muslims.

Here are other stories RI Future has reported on the Syrian refugee crisis:

November 19, 2015November 19, 2015

Rep. Nardolillo thinks Elaine Morgan owes Muslims an apology

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Representative Bobby Nardolillo said fellow Republican Senator Elaine Morgan should consider apologizing to the Muslim community for her now-famous offensive email that besmirched Islam and said Muslim refugees should be relegated to camps if allowed into the United States.

“I would definitely say it was offensive and she should consider apologizing,” Nardolillo told me after addressing a small crowd at the State House on why America should reject refugees. “I completely disagree with her comments. She insulted a whole Muslim culture and I think that was totally inappropriate.”

Morgan, a freshman senator from South County, sent an email obtained by WPRI, that said, among other offensive passages, “The Muslim religion and philosophy is to murder, rape, and decapitate anyone who is a non Muslim.”

To my knowledge, Morgan has yet to publicly apologize for the politically incorrect email. A Senate spokesman for the Democratic caucus had not seen one, and asked his GOP counterpart to apprise him if one was issued. RIPR political reporter Ian Donnis said in a tweet he reached out to Morgan for further comment multiple times and has not heard back from her. According to the WPRI story, Morgan said the email should have read “the fanatical Muslim religion and philosophy.”

Morgan’s email was publicized nationally today, the same day Nardolillo led a scheduled event at the State House on why the United States should reject refugees from war-torn parts of the Middle East because of national security concerns. He said he didn’t think Morgan’s insensitive comments discouraged people from attending his event, which he said was more of a press conference than a rally.

November 18, 2015November 19, 2015

State senators to hold rally to support Syrian refugees

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Senators John Miller and Gayle Goldin are hosting a State House rally on Thursday at 1:30 “to demonstrate support and compassion for refugees fleeing the crisis in Syria,” according to a State House press release.

Miller said the rally tomorrow is to dispel any misconceptions that Senator Elaine Morgan’s comments are representative of the Senate as a whole. Morgan sent an email that brought national attention to Rhode Island because it said Muslim refugees should be kept in a camp, and, she wrote, “The Muslim religion and philosophy is to murder, rape, and decapitate anyone who is a non Muslim.” She later said she meant to include the word fanatical in this description.

“I’m embarrassed if people think that is a feeling that is prevalent in the Senate and this is an opportunity to show that there are other strong opinions,” Miller said. “I’ve heard from other senators who want to separate themselves from the comments made by Senator Morgan.”

Miller “absolutely” supports Rhode Island taking in Syrian refugees. “Not only is it the essence of Americanism it’s also the essence of Rhode Island.”

So far, the three state legislators to speak out for accepting Syrian refugees are all Jewish – sens. Miller and Goldin and Rep. Aaron Regunberg. Regunberg wrote a high profile letter to Gov. Gina Raimondo after reps. Bobby Nardolillo and Doreen Costa said they thought Rhode Island should not welcome refugees fleeing war and oppression in the Middle East because it poses a domestic security threat.

“I think the context for a lot of people is whatever their heritage is,” said Miller. “Our recent history shows how horribly wrong it can go when you start to identify the few.”

The senators will be joined by former Gambian refugee-turned-Rhode Island Omar Bah, whom Steve Ahlquist profiled in 2014. They will also be joined by Father Bernard Healey, a Catholic priest and State House lobbyist for the church, Rabbi Sarah Mack, a progressive rabbi from Providence and Iman Farid Ansari, a local leader of the Islamic faith, among others.