Saying he’s personally been the target of an “avalanche of hate” online, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong says he’ll pursue a bill to protect residents from “dangerous social media rhetoric.”
Tong blames President Trump and some other Republicans for inspiring hate-filled online behavior with their angry comments, including those defaming ICE Minnesota shooting victim Renee Good.
After a slew of racist remarks were recently posted in response to an Instagram video of his foster puppy, Tong was threatened online Tuesday. After he posted video of his remarks at a rally addressing ICE tactics, one response read, “Renee Good him.”
“These actions reflect what is said by the president of the United States,” says Tong, “with his incitement and encouragement.”
Tong also blames Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, for making no attempt to restrain hate speech.
“You add Donald Trump and that platform and you put people at risk for their lives and their safety,” said Tong at a Wednesday news conference in Hartford.
“The president has turned us against each other. That is his essential skill. He is so good at it: turning all of us against each other, one American against another. We are more divided and more hateful than I have ever experienced in my lifetime.”
Tong is calling on top state Republicans to join him in denouncing online hate inspired by Washington Republicans, saying, “You can’t wait for the storm to pass… We have to push back so that somebody else doesn’t feel like because of what the president said, or some member of Congress said, that they have the right and encouragement and the license to ‘Renee Good’ somebody else.”
Top state Republicans responded in statements. Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding said, “Connecticut Senate Republicans condemn these vile threats in the strongest of terms. Any threats should be prosecuted to their fullest extent. We will continue to call out all forms of political violence. The hateful rhetoric and the violence must end.”
House Minority Leader Vin Candelora added, “We can all do better. But until the Attorney General and Democrats acknowledge their own role in poisoning our political discourse—stoking the flames since day one of Donald Trump's first presidency—these calls for unity will ring hollow.”