Egregious behavior
It is time for courage at the State House. After listening to the testimony of many affected legislators and members of the public today, it is time for the toxic vitriol from Rep. Travis Corcoran to no longer be tolerated.
His hateful comments verbally and on social media spouting racist, homophobic, antisemitic and misogynistic rhetoric are appalling to say the least. This is not about politics. This is about holding an elected official to the appropriate standards of public behavior. Some argue it is his First Amendment right to carry on this way, but I beg to differ.
Elected officials, community leaders, members of the clergy, teachers and public figures need to be held to a higher standard and their public statements should reflect that. The sheer volume of his fellow state representatives as well as people from the community stood up to be heard and recounted instance after instance where his vile commentary was shared.
It is not enough to censure or reprimand him. He needs to be removed from office. This would never be tolerated in the workplace, in a classroom, in a professional setting — why should it be tolerated in our House of Representatives? No, I believe expulsion is the proper remedy and what this behavior calls for. Again, this is not about politics. Anyone, regardless of party, acting in this manner should be met with the same fate — removal from office. If he had any decency, he would resign.