Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell on Monday ripped Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) for only being an advocate of homosexuality when it suits her.
“She doesn’t get to pretend like she’s bipartisan when she voted against TWO historic gay appointments – Patrick Bumatay and me,” Grenell tweeted.
“Does she want her gays to be only left-wing Progressives? Grenell questioned. “Gay isn’t an Ideology, @SenatorHassan.”
Grenell’s comment comes as Hassan has championed legislation to update the definition of marriage at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include same-sex couples.
“Every veteran should have access to the health care and benefits that they have earned and deserve, no matter their zip code, their income – or who they love,” Hassan said in a statement. “Veterans and military families sacrifice so much for our country, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen support for veterans.”
But as Grenell pointed out, Hassan voted in 2018 to oppose his nomination to be ambassador to Germany, a historic confirmation as the first openly gay U.S. ambassador to Germany. Grenell would later become the first openly gay cabinet member in American history when then-President Donald Trump named him acting Director of National Intelligence.
Hassan also voted not to confirm Patrick Bumatay as a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit. Despite her no vote, Bumatay was the first Filipino American to serve as an Article III federal appellate judge and the first openly gay judge on the Ninth Circuit.
Grenell’s comment comes as Hassan is running for reelection against Republican Gen. Don Bolduc, who is virtually tied in the polls with the Democrat incumbent.
Bolduc has caught Hassan from well behind. Suffolk University/Boston Globe polling three weeks ago showed Hassan with a nine point lead (50-41 percent) over Gen. Bolduc. That lead was cut to seven points (52-45 percent) in an October 12 AARP poll. Both polls showed Hassan with majority support.
On Friday, Only 49 percent of voters said they support Hassan, while 47 supported Gen. Bolduc, well within the 4 point margin of error. Four percent remain undecided.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
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