Is This How Seriously Gerry Connolly Takes The Potential of Gitmo Detainees in Northern Virginia?

For Immediate Release:                                                                                       Contact: Press Office
May 14, 2009                                                                                                            (202) 479-7070

Is This How Seriously Gerry Connolly Takes The Potential of Gitmo Detainees in Northern Virginia?

When Pressed About His Position on Bringing Terrorists into His Community, Connolly Replied: “Really?  I hadn’t heard that.”

Washington- Disturbing comments made recently by Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly are raising serious questions about his knowledge of and concern for a vague proposal to close Guantanamo Bay and move the terrorist detainees to U.S. soil – specifically to Northern Virginia.

When asked (on May 12) how he felt about the possibility of terrorists from Guantanamo Bay being brought to Northern Virginia, Connolly’s response was shocking:

“Really?  I hadn’t heard that.”

Watch the video of his comments here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48ctygl730k

“Gerry Connolly’s response is a perfect illustration of how undaunted congressional Democrats are when it comes to their reckless and unpopular position on handling detainees from Guantanamo Bay,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain.  “Connolly is out of touch with his constituents and out of touch with reality if he doesn’t realize the threat that Northern Virginians would face if terrorists are brought into their community. Or is he just really that ignorant?”

 Perhaps Gerry Connolly is unaware of the criticism his colleague Jim Moran is receiving from his constituents in Alexandria.  Today’s Alexandria Times highlights the serious concerns Northern Virginia elected officials and residents have with Moran’s support for allowing terrorists as neighbors:

“Euille, Pepper and Moran were all elected officials in 2002 when 9/11 co-conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and ‘The American Taliban’ John Walker Lindh went to trial at the Albert V. Bryan Federal Courthouse. There were large media contingents covering the trials and an intense security detail that put a strain on the city’s resources, although the Department of Justice agreed to reimburse the city for security detail in the area. The commotion worried and annoyed some residents, too, especially at the Carlyle Towers next door, which housed about 1,000 residents at the time.

“Back then, Moran wrote Attorney General John Ashcroft a 2002 letter to express his concerns for his congressional district. One of his major worries, according to the letter, was the possibility of a terrorist attack on the courthouse as a demonstration.

“‘… It is clear that in the climate that exists in our world today, it will be impossible to guarantee that terrorists will not try to disrupt the trials or harm civilians who live next door,’ Moran wrote.”  (Austin Danforth, “Moran Says City, If Asked, Has ?‘Responsibility’ to Host Terror Trials,” Alexandria Times, May 14, 2009)