Portsmouth Republicans Looking for Shea-Porter Apology

The Portsmouth City Republicans are calling on Carol Shea-Porter to apologize for calling them “tea-baggers” on her way to a private party in Portsmouth last week.

Here is the full text of Polidura’s letter to the editor, as well as Kelly Ayotte’s version of the events:

On August 27th, the Portsmouth Republican City Committee held a social event at the Sheraton Hotel in Portsmouth, featuring Kelly Ayotte as the guest speaker.

Shortly before the event began, we had an unannounced visit by Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, who apparently thought she would be crashing a "Tea-Party".

Because she has kept a low profile and has been inaccessible by phone or mail, her visit created an opportunity for several attendees to query her.

We were respectful of her position, so we politely invited her into in the function room for refreshments. She declined as she was scheduled to attend another event in Portsmouth.

The following day, a report appeared in Foster’s Daily Democrat saying that during Mrs. Shea-Porter’s meeting with special interest groups such as Organizing for America, ACORN and the SEIU, she made the following statement: “Kelly Ayotte was there speaking to the tea-baggers.” She also said that she chose to appear at the event even though she had not been invited.

Her remarks are corroborated by the Portsmouth Herald, which chose not to print them. Both news sources indicated her use of “tea-baggers” several times during her gathering in Portsmouth.

It is regrettable that Mrs. Shea-Porter chose a sexually demeaning epithet to refer to Republicans gathered at the Sheraton, as well as those who have used Tea Parties as a vehicle to petition the government for redress of grievances, as is their right stated in the First Amendment of the Constitution.

Mrs. Shea-Porter’s “tea baggers” reference is another indication of how uninformed and far removed from her constituency she is, and the condescending attitude she has toward those with a different point of view than her own.

Our social event on August 27th attracted many people who have never attended a Republican event before. Approximately 95% percent of them had not participated in any Tea Party rallies.

Whereas her comments were specifically directed at the people gathered at the Portsmouth Republican Committee event which I organized, I call upon Representative Carol Shea -Porter to apologize not only for calling our group “tea baggers”, but also for calling members of her constituency who disagree with her the same.

Mrs. Shea-Porter, you need to set the record straight and retract your remarks. They are divisive and derisive in nature, and far from the spirit of civility you want the opposition to convey to you.

Sue Polidura
Vice-Chair
Portsmouth Republican City Committee