CT lawmaker swears as woman testifies, blames bad internet connection
For the second time in a month, an unmuted remote microphone caught a state lawmaker abruptly swearing during a legislative public hearing.
This time it was sixth-term state Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, RNewtown, whose expletive occurred about 95 minutes into a hearing last week on public school funding, as he was monitoring a meeting from his Newtown home, which has spotty internet service, he claims. The bad connection prompted him to say “f—- you” as a woman was testifying in Spanish about the issue of funding school lunches.
“During a recent Appropriations Committee hearing that I participated in remotely from my home, I let my frustrations over ongoing technical problems get the better of me,” Bolinsky, a Republican, said in a statement Tuesday. “I uttered an expletive directed at my computer that was picked up on the microphone and discernable to anyone on the committee feed. While it was not directed at anyone, I apologize for my language.’’
The hearing continued on without interruption, despite the obscenity, but two Democratic leaders urged Bolinsky to further his apology.
“I would urge Rep. Bolinsky to apologize to Ms. Roa and the Appropriations Committee for using course language during the public hearing,” said Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford.
“I want to apologize to anyone that may have been offended by comments made in the public hearing last Friday,” said state Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, co-chairwoman of the committee, who was running the meeting at the time. “The Appropriations Committee does not tolerate disrespectful language. I hope that Rep. Bolinsky publicly apologizes to Ms. Roa.”
House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R_North Branford, got in touch with Ritter to assure him that Bolinsky was having connectivity problems and was not swearing about the proceedings of the public hearing.
In late January, state Rep. Travis Simms, D-Norwalk, let loose with some curse words during a public hearing held by the
Transportation Committee. At the time, he was driving and had been cut off by another motorist.
Nearly three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, General Assembly committee meetings continue to use a hybrid in which both lawmakers and the public may participate in public hearings either in the state Capitol complex or remotely. On days when the House or Senate meet, lawmakers may vote from either their respective chambers or their legislative offices.