UPDATE 4/13 7:00am: Click here to listen to Kruger in a radio interview. At about 2 minutes in, he actually says ‘I wish we could have fun with this’.
Rep. Chuck Kruger (D-Thomaston), the Democrat chair of the Maine legislature’s Moderate Caucus, used his Twitter account to express his view that former Vice President Dick Cheney should be executed. This comment has led some to question the validity of Kruger’s moderate credentials.
Kruger made the statement through his Twitter account this past summer, saying, “Cheney deserves same final end he gave Saddam. Hope there are cell cams,” a reference to technology that would allow Kruger to watch the proposed execution of the former Vice President of the United States.
A tip alerted The Maine Wire to the extreme comment just days after Kruger led a meeting of the Moderate Caucus that featured a visit from Eliot Cutler, a former Democrat and failed candidate for Governor in the fall of 2010.
The keynote speaker, Cutler talked about finding middle ground to work from. “I think we’re going to see a shift that draws the two parties back to the middle,” Cutler said in a Bangor Daily News article. “I think we’re going to see the return to civility and to moderation,” Cutler said in another interview with public radio.
Kruger’s statement is being viewed as anything but civil.
Representative Les Fossel (R-Alna), the Republican co-chair of the Moderate Caucus, said it is not the type of comment that Kruger has ever made to him in person or in front of him. “I have never heard anything like that from him in the caucus,” Fossel said. “In caucus he is a mild and mannered co-chair.”
“Obviously I disagree with his comment about [former vice-president] Cheney,” Fossel added.
The ‘moderate’ label in Maine has become fashionable as of late, as several prominent Democrats have shed their party affiliation in order to capitalize on the tradition of successful moderate political figures from Margaret Chase Smith to Olympia Snowe. In the limelight this year is former Democrat Angus King, who has resurrected his ‘independent’ political identity to fuel his run for U.S. Senate. Though King professes inclinations toward the political center by refusing to indicate which party he would caucus with, most political observers believe he would act as a functional Democrat in the Senate.
“This is a profoundly disturbing thing for an elected official who represents the good people of Maine to say about another former or current elected official,” said Jason Savage, Executive Director of Maine People Before Politics.
“In addition to the fact that this dangerous statement violates any standard of decency for a politician representing the people of Maine, it also exposes the false narrative that self-proclaimed moderate politicians are trying to create,” Savage said.
Kruger’s views on moderation, though, may be at odds with actual moderates. While Fossel, Cutler and King have expressed the desire to establish common ground between centrists in both parties, Kruger is apparently looking for a united front between right- and left-wing extremists. “I think there is an opportunity to create common ground between the extremes of both parties,” he said in the BDN article.
It was unclear whether this nexus included the execution of any other public officials.
UPDATE 4/12 8:42am:
In a phone call with The Maine Wire, Kruger claimed he didn’t remember posting the Twitter comment.
“I’m not admitting or denying it,” said Kruger.”I don’t wish anybody’s death, that’s not really how I feel. I can be snarky, I can be a wise-ass.”
Kruger acknowledged that the comments were extreme, and seemed to conflict with his position with the Moderate Caucus. But, he said, there is “no connection between [the] tweet and my actions or positions in the legislature”
Kruger’s Twitter history was removed from public view after we contacted him for this story.
UPDATE 7:07pm:
Drudge has linked this story and we’ve been working to keep up with server traffic.
The Maine Republican Party also sent out this email today, calling for Kruger’s resignation:
We wanted to make you aware of a story this morning on The Maine Wire about Democratic Representative Chuck Kruger of Thomaston.
“Kruger made the statement through his Twitter account this past summer, saying, “Cheney deserves same final end he gave Saddam. Hope there are cell cams,” a reference to technology that would allow Kruger to watch the proposed execution of the former Vice President of the United States.”
Kruger’s statements are outrageous, and have no place in our political discourse. To add insult to injury, Kruger is the co-chair of the Moderate Caucus!
Imagine if a Republican had made such statements about an elected official?
We can’t sit back and take this. It’s time for the GOP to fight back against the growing extremism from Democrat political figures.
Chuck Kruger should resign immediately and apologize for his outrageous remarks.
Call Chuck Kruger RIGHT NOW and tell him it’s time to go. Maine doesn’t need this kind of violent, sick hatred as part of our political culture.
Call Kruger directly on his cell phone at 207-596-3023, and tell him the people of Maine demand he resign immediately.
We need to take action when these things go unchallenged, and now is the time. Please call Kruger right now and let him know we aren’t going to sit back and let he and his extremist friends ruin our state.
CALL CHUCK KRUGER RIGHT NOW AT 207-596-3023.
UPDATE: Here’s Chuck Kruger, in apparently less violent times:
Anyone who has heard Chuck on the radio or TV knows he is another leftie, nothing moderate about him.
Kruger’s statement is another example of the seething hatred Liberals have for all things Conservative. It was beneath contempt and he should be censored or recalled. What is almost as bad is the tepid, dare I say spineless, response of Les Fossel. Fossel said he disagreed with Kruger wanting to have Cheney executed. Really? Is that the best you can do? Where is the outrage? Where is the fire from the Right. Oh, that’s right…they want to be liked rather than do or say the appropriate thing. Shame on both of you.
Do “moderates” STAND” for anything?! It’s so easy being in the middle of the road …until an eighteen wheeler hits you!
And yet Democrats/liberals are constantly yammering about how racist Republicans/conservatives are and how we are the hatemongers. In reality, it’s the reverse. What happened to the party (Democrats) of inclusion, diversity, caring, compassion and unity?? Can anyone say HYPOCRISY!
No need to get excited over what Kruger has posted. He just happens to be another one of the loons in America, but one of a few here in our great state of Maine. And the voters voted him into office? Wow! The moon-bat society is doing ok in Maine I guess.
“he didn’t remember”, my question is, what is Rep. Kruger doing to bring on his short term memory loss
Wonder what his stand on capital punishment is?? I would wager a bet that he is against capital punishment, yet like many of the demoncrats, they talk out of both sides of their mouths! Angus King is NO independent, he is a flaming liberal, pro obamanomics and all things Marxist. Oops with the exception that he loves stimulus money, especially when he takes it for innovative green energy NOT, nothing remotely new about his wind turbines. He handed over his shares in his company to partner Ed Gardner, his cronie at MPBN that sucks money from taxpayers instead of raising funds like other organizations. People had better look real close into Kings past dealings and record as governor. HE was the one who got us into this womb to tomb welfare mentality by refusing to abide by Clinton’s welfare reform act, 5 years and you’re off all welfare. Now Maine is known as a great place to collect welfare. Hopefully LePage will fix that once and for all
Does anyone recall Gabrielle Giffords?
Sarah Palin was taken to the woodshed over her metaphorical “Crosshairs”, I guess we should just hold our breath waiting for a similar response from our mainstream press?
It is the height of irresponsibility for a public official to suggest someone be killed. I can understand a bunch of wackos tossing the idea around (although I honestly never understood the Cheney hatred) but for an elected official to make the suggestion, that could turn into a green light in a very dangerous way.
He needs to make a formal retraction, this “I forgot” BS is completely unacceptable. I’m surprised he didn’t ‘pull a Weiner’ (sorry!) and claim that someone must have hacked his Twitter.
It seems that the “Independent” tag is an opportunity to have 2 liberal Democrates in an election race against one conservative Republican.
Moonbats will be moonbats no matter how they try to hide it…Nothing will come of it though…Demoncrats can say and do pretty much what they please with no consequences from their party or so called press…Move along folks , nothing to see here…
The more I listen and learn about democrats, I find they are sick, disturbed pigs!
We’ve known of the double standard for a long time and both sides constantly refer to it…but…how do conservatives combat it when just about the entire media in Maine is so far left and daily issue the opinions to (not of) the uninformed masses. It is a wonder that there are any conseratives left in this society with the deck so stacked against them.
One way to fight back is for conservatives to print off the real news and leave copies around places of their daily travels.
If this was posted last summer, why did it not receive any recognition before this? Obviously, this man is in a place of leadership, but he is a liberal who will not be admonished by his party, most likely.
And now that Sussman/pingree leftist machine owns the news media reps and conservatives don’t have a snowballs chance in hell to get their ideas out to those who don’t follow rep and conservative news outlets. Unless individuals in our country and Maine in particular are able to access truth and facts the liberal left will win the war!
Just gotta love these stand up liberals” I don’t remember” another Profile in Courage!
Can you imagine if a Republican said this? It would be all over the Sussman state controlled media.
I’m shocked, shocked I tell you.
Come on, Les. Show that you have a pair.
I am more interested in his Jamaica junket! How much is that going to cost the taxpayers? GSA anyone!?
Dems wanting to execute people in Bush’s adm. is old news!
Sounds “moderate” to me. Geez. Wake up, Libtards.
Cheney is a better man and human being than ANY libtard democRAT any day of the year.
Perhaps this assclown would like the same standard of justice. He’s a democrat and that’s prima facie evidence of treason. A capital offense as I recall.
the dems are always what they accuse everybody else of …intolerant, hateful, bigots, mean, cheap, greedy etc. Just look at the lday black panthers statement and Rosen’s. Every week they give us more examples for anybody that’s looking.
Lookey here! Am I reading something from moveon.org or the daily kos? I wouldn’t advocate killing ANY public official. Mr. Kruger needs to get some anger management counceling or meds.
Kruger is using the “Steve Martin – I Forgot” defense. LOL!
I am not a moderate, but I play one on TV.
Would I be correct in guessing that Vice President Cheney still has at least a part time Secret Service Detail? I ask because it leads me to this question, is this enough to call for a resignation ? I know that we are all aware that a large percentage of Liberals make these type of statement and we just discount it . The problem I see is that some of these folks deep down wish for such things to happen, they might not act on it but wouldn’t cry much over the event if it was to transpire. Not to long ago such a statement would have triggered a visit from very serious,well armed men from the Secret Service. We also have to consider those unstable folks on the fringe who might hear/see one of their elected idols make such a statement an act on it to do the unthinkable.
At what point do we stop discounting/looking past this type of behavior from these folks, treating it as acceptable behavior of an elected office holder, just the language of the times?
I for one am tired of letting Liberals get a free pass , allowing them to say whatever they like without consequences.
If this Twitter account is currently or has ever been used as a conduit for him to speak on his official doings, If he has/is Identified(ing) him self as an elected official on this twitter account, then he should be forced to reassign. I am Tired of giveng them a pass while being held to a higher standard by these same people. I have had enough.
Just another Democrat… Why people continue to vote for Democrats is beyond me.
Since the Secert Service is tasked with protecting, among others, former Vice Presidents, they may be interested in investigating Kruger’s remarks. I certainly hope so!
How drunk was Kruger when he did this?
If he were a Republican he would be out of his office already. Really He doesn’t remember?? Does he really think people are that stupid or is this guy that lame?? Either way bad.
sounds like a hard core liberal to me.
And the libtards keep silent
Democrat civility on full display here.
I believe he IS a moderate Democrat, perhaps even on the conservative side of the Democratic party. Anyone who doesn’t think so must not pay attention to what most Democrats say when they think no one is listening except for their own kind.
“This comment has led some to question the validity of Kruger’s moderate credentials.”—Why not question his fitness to serve in his current position, or his sanity? This kind of rhetoric is way over the top.
I think all the good people of Maine should ask Rep. Kruger to resign. We should expect and demand better from our public SERVANTS!
He should resign immediately or be removed.
Not only is Obama going to lose this November, he is going to lose big and take a lot of Democrats down with him.
Why isn’t the Secrete Service talking to Kruger and arresting him for threats against the former VP…..To think we as tax payers have to pay the salary and health benefits for scum like this!
Anthony Weiner …how did you get on Mr.Kruger’s twitter account? Oh come on Mr. Weiner? You neither admit not deny…you are so cute when you are being civil.
this message from Dick Cheney to Chuck Kruger : remember what I said to Patrick Leahy ? Same to you , punk…
The psychological term is “transference”.
REMEMBER WHEN THE DEMOCRATS AND OBAMA SAID THE REPUBLICANS NEED TO TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC AND BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE WORDS THEY USE? HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD ANY REPUBLICAN USE WORDS AND PHRASES THAT CLEARLY CALL FOR SOMEONE’S DEATH FOR DISAGREEING WITH THEM POLITICALLY OR IN ANY WAY? HOW THE HELL DID WE WIND UP WITH A BUNCH OF IMMATURE ANTI EVERYTHING THAT THEY DON’T AGREE WITH THEM SOCIALISTS IN OUR GOVERNING BODIES?
Kruger should have a visit from the Secret Service who could deliver him to a facility for a psychological evaluation. That is no less than what would happen to use if we said such a vile thing about a former VP.
Well if he cannot remember he should probably be asked to resign!
must be Freddie Krugers relative.
Alcohol’s a tricky bitch. If you can’t handle her, she’ll make a monkey out of you every chance you give her. Mr. Kruger needs to man up and get that sht under control.
Yes but catching one, an elected one none the less ,saying it is a bit more rare. Make hay while the sun shines, that’s what Grandaddy always said. Besides, it’s the right thing to do.Wait, who’s going to Jamaica
Well said. Thank you.
I would love to see Cheney show up in person at a Kruger town hall in Maine, face to face.