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GOP says Rep. Baird 'delusional' over 'brown shirt' comments

• Published August 06, 2009

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U.S. Rep. Brian Baird might not want to meet the public in person at town hall meetings to discuss health-care reform, fearing a "lynch-mob" mentality and what he considers Nazi-style attacks against the majority Democrats' ideas.

But at least one of his Republican opponents, Jon Russell of Washougal, says he will meet the public — including a forum in Tumwater on Aug. 25.

And the state Republican Party put out statements today accusing Baird, a psychologist by training of being delusional.

Baird set off the food fight with comments he made to The Columbian for a story published today. He said he fears an ambush he compared to Nazi tactics, so he is not doing in-person town hall meetings during the August congressional recess. Instead he'll talk to constituents about health-care reform in telephone town hall settings, which he's used in the past to draw audiences of several hundred people.

"What we're seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics," the newspaper quoted Baird as saying in a phone interview that referred to protests at other House members' meetings (including one where the member was hanged in effigy). "I mean that very seriously."

Baird told McClatchy Newspapers in a story published by The Olympian today he fears a "lynch-mob mentality."

"It's hard to tell which is more ridiculous: 1) Brian Baird comparing opponents of government-run health care to Adolf Hitler's Nazi stormtroopers, or 2) taking any of Brian Baird's disingenuous double-talk on health care seriously, let alone very seriously," state Republican chairman Luke Esser replied today in a news release.

One member of the Washington Federation of State Employees has another take on recent "town hall" meetings, including one U.S. Rep. Adam Smith attended in DuPont. The worker, Dennis, writes here that some critics in the audience acted like "healthcare terrorists."

Clearly there is rising anger and distrust over the health-care issue, and some believe Republicans are behind the verbal attacks at town hall meetings. But Esser went on to say: