Congressman Faso’s Dark Money
On August 31 I attended the Esopus Town Hall meeting with Congressman John Faso (19th
district). He fielded many questions, but one of his responses was
jarring. One individual noted Faso’s earlier expressed desire for
civility in our national dialogue and described her great concern about
the hateful messages purveyed on Breitbart News, the prominent
platform for alt-right extremists.. She then asked if he would no
longer accept campaign money from the billionaire Robert Mercer, who
generously funds Breitbart. To loud groans, he replied that he
personally has never read Breitbart. He followed by saying that he had
never heard Mercer say anything racist or discriminatory. More groans.
He refused to disassociate himself from Mercer.
Congressman Faso’s dodge drew on the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak
no evil” defense. It will not wash. There are few politically engaged
Americans who are unaware of Breitbart’s content, whether they’ve read
it “personally” or not. Most probably haven’t read Mein Kampf
personally either, but they know what it spewed. Steve Bannon came to
Trump’s administration from Breitbart, and he returned to it the day he
was bounced from the White House. We can be confident that “civility”
is not a value Bannon has ever cherished.
Congressman Faso can’t credibly deplore the hatred marching in
Charlottesville while he accepts campaign money from those who fund the
most uncivil voices in America. He might want to find the time to read
Breitbart.
Publishing History
Poughkeepsie Journal 9/6 online
New Paltz Times 9/7
Times Herald-Record 9/11
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