“Moderate” Marc Molinaro: MAGA Champion

We live in challenging times. Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza are far away, but war in the Middle East or Central Europe threatens us all. In this crisis, political leaders must unite as patriotic Americans to find solutions to grave challenges.

President Biden has done that, reassuring Israel of American support, while also

seeking humanitarian aid for Gaza. He vehemently condemned anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiment. His administration is working tirelessly to secure the release of Hamas hostages and to expedite the departure of American Palestinians from Gaza. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also announced his support for assistance to Ukraine and Israel. This is how serious leaders respond to crises.

The Republican Caucus in the House of Representatives did not rise to the crisis. Instead, members wasted three weeks in partisan divisiveness before picking a speaker. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican Congressman from Pennsylvania, chastised his feckless colleagues. “The American people need us and yet our entire federal government will run out of money in just 29 days,” he wrote. “Israel needs us, and yet we cannot even go onto the House floor to condemn Hamas, provide aid to Israel to combat terrorists, and rescue American hostages during this shutdown.”( Fitzpatrick Statement on Speaker Vote | Press Releases | Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (house.gov)).

Like many of his colleagues, local congressman Marc Molinaro never demonstrated resolve or courage in the fiasco Fitzpatrick condemned. After Speaker McCarthy’s ouster as speaker, the Congressman could have supported a candidate who reflected the moderate, deeply purple cast of his district. Instead, Molinaro voted for Jim Jordan twice, changing his vote only after it became apparent that Jordan did not have the votes to win. In the end, Molinaro joined his Republican colleagues to elect the rightwing radical Mike Johnson of Louisiana as Speaker.

Johnson is the most socially conservative Speaker elected in recent history. He advocates for cuts in Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. He sponsored the Life at Conception Act which would ban abortion nationally with no exceptions for rape or incest. He wants to end same-sex marriage and criminalize gay sex. A conspiracy theorist, Johnson was Trump’s legal consigliere in Congress, fighting to overturn the 2020 election results. After January 6, Johnson voted against a Commission to determine who was responsible for the brazen attack on the Capitol. ( Mike Johnson (Louisiana politician) – Wikipedia

Molinaro’s votes for Jordan and Johnson are not surprising. Despite running as a moderate, Molinaro consistently votes along right wing, radical lines. A hard-core partisan loyalist, Molinaro has voted against service women seeking medical care, against clean water regulations, protection of New York’s coastline and rejected a regulation the prevented price gauging by oil companies. He refuses to say publicly if he would vote for an increase in taxes to secure Social Security.

Molinaro attends numerous events in the district, proclaiming his affection for the voters. Yet he displays a mindboggling contempt for these same NY CD19 voters in Washington.. Even supporters were shocked at an interview he gave on CPAN saying “Most of people I represent wouldn’t know the speaker of the House if they backed over them with a pickup truck.”( Rep. Marc Molinaro on Speaker Election | C-SPAN.org). On another occasion in a televised appearance he said the voters did not give a s**t about whoever became Speaker.

Having alienated voters with these insults, Molinaro is now desperately trying to change the subject and appease his MAGA base. One ludicrous recent Facebook post conflates the Tompkins Democratic Party with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).Does he really believe we voters are too dumb to know the difference?

In these terrible times, the people of the 19th district care deeply about who holds the Speaker’s chair. By voting for an extremist like Johnson, Molinaro stands firmly in the MAGA camp. The Congressman lacks the knowledge and judgment that are essential for anyone to represent us well in Washington. All voters deserve a congressperson who embodies empathy, an incredible work ethic and, most importantly, a profound respect for the people he will represent in Washington. Marc Molinaro is not that man.

Ann Sullivan chairs the City of Ithaca Third Ward Democratic Committee. A fan of all things Upstate, in the Fall she loves cheering on the Buffalo Bills and walking the Finger Lakes trails.