HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - Democratic Connecticut State Senator Saud Anwar of South Windsor is facing criticism over a photo taken at a "No Kings" rally.
The sign he's seen holding reads "Cholesterol, do your job."
Some are interpreting the sign as a wish for President Trump to suffer or die from health issues, while others argue it is satirical in nature.
Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding issued this statement Sunday:
Disgusting.
Hateful.
CT Senate Democrats must immediately remove Sen. Saud Anwar as Chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee.
And Gov. Ned Lamont should demand it.
This man is a doctor: He is someone supposedly entrusted with protecting health.
Yet, he just posed, with a wide grin on his face, with a sign wishing death upon the President of the United States.
That behavior is frightening, abhorrent, disgraceful, and beneath the dignity of our state legislature.
No one who promotes this kind of vile and harmful rhetoric should ever be allowed to lead Connecticut’s Public Health Committee.
So, will Democrats ignore it?
Or will they remove Senator Saud Anwar as Chair?
Senator Anwar responded:
Some Republicans are pretending to be outraged over a photo of me standing next to a satirical sign at a No Kings rally.
Republicans are furious over a joke, but silent when our democracy, our health care and our planet are under attack. The outrage is a performative distraction. If they can’t create ways to be mad about the things that don’t matter, then people will start to realize their positions on things that do matter.
While they’re busy clutching pearls over a piece of poster board, families in Connecticut are fighting for affordable health care, quality education and fundamental constitutional rights.
The work continues, whether the outrage machine approves or not.
WTIC News/Talk 1080 has requested comment from Senate Democratic leaders.