By Will Collette
To see this video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rGNWM8ucAQ
Elaine Morgan (R-Hopkinton), the Hopkinton dry-cleaner and police impersonator, was one of the surprise winners in the 2014 election when she defeated Democratic state Senator Cathy Cool Rumsey. Cool Rumsey had just completed an impressive first term filled with achievements, especially on the environment and child welfare issues.
Morgan, on the other hand, had no political experience other than as Hopkinton's elected Town Sergeant, a position that comes with no police powers. In that office, Morgan drew complaints from residents who charged she used her town sergeant uniform to masquerade as an actual police officer.
Morgan's district includes the northern end of Charlestown.
Morgan's first year in the General Assembly was one where she largely followed the Tea Party line and often sponsored the Senate version of bills by Tea Party Republican House member Doreen Costa.
But this week, Morgan made national headlines for her bigoted remarks condemning all Muslims, mischaracterizing Islam and calling for any Syrian refugees admitted to the U.S. to be kept segregated in internment camps.
Morgan tried to walk back some of her inflammatory rhetoric, but even her own fellow Rhode Island Republicans sought to distance themselves from her racist remarks.
Morgan is not exactly a shining light of reason and clear thinking. Even when talking to a friendly interviewer like Dan Yorke, Morgan comes off as, well, not really Senate material.Unless your idea of Senate material is dumb as a sack of rocks, that is.
Anyway, see for yourself how Morgan comes off with Yorke: http://foxprovidence.com/2015/09/21/921-senators-morgan-and-gee-on-state-of-mind/
And check out this piece on her stance on RhodeMap RI: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2015/04/conservatives-attack-rhodemap-without.html. See if you can spot any signs of intelligent life.
I hope South County voters will recognize what a terrible mistake they made in 2014 when they exchanged three of the brightest, most effective legislators in Cathy Cool Rumsey, Larry Valencia and Donna Walsh for three ineffective, goofy Tea Partiers (Morgan, Flip Filippi and Justin Price).
I had thought, until Morgan decided to go full Trump that Rep. Justin Price was the dumbest person in the General Assembly. But Morgan is giving Price a contest; I would certainly consider her the dumbest person in the state Senate.