NEW: Doherty Fires Back at Anthony Gemma
Monday, April 16, 2012
Brendan Doherty, Republican candidate for Rhode Island’s First District Congressional seat, issued a response this afternoon to Democrat Anthony Gemma’s assertion yesterday in his campaign announcement that he “lives in a bubble” and “has no clue about the problems that face Rhode Islanders.”
“Mr. Gemma’s comments are an insult to countless hard-working people throughout Rhode Island who have committed themselves to public service,” said Doherty, who rose through the ranks of the Rhode Island State Police to the post of superintendent before resigning the post last year. “To dismiss public servants as ‘living in a bubble’ and clueless about the challenges facing our state is demeaning to the police and firefighters of Providence, who have had to accept financial concessions as a result of the city’s overwhelming fiscal crisis; the retired workers in Central Falls, whose pensions have been slashed; and the Providence teachers who received termination notices last year. This attitude completely ignores the impact of Rhode Island’s fiscal crisis on these working families.”
In his campaign announcement, Gemma did not mention incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. David Cicilline by name, but focused much of his criticism on Doherty, who does not have a Republican primary opponent.
“Mr. Gemma may believe he possesses special knowledge that is beyond the comprehension of regular Rhode Islanders, but making a healthy living for himself hardly qualified him to be a leader of our state. Grand gestures and lofty rhetoric don’t make a leader. As the head of the State Police and the Commissioner for the Public Safety of Rhode Island, I protected not only the safety and well-being of Rhode Islanders, but I have also conserved their hard-earned tax dollars. I have found consensus among divergent parties while upholding the highest principles and I have looked into the facesof children and senior citizens who were confronted with serious threats by no fault of their own,” Doherty said.
