Tesei Calls For Candidate Kostin To Apologize For Comment: Video

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich First Selectman Peter J. Tesei is calling on Laura Kostin, who lost her state House race on Tuesday, to apologize publicly for "a vulgar comment" she made Tuesday about exiting Republican state Rep. Mike Bocchino.

During a Democratic gathering after returns came in, Kostin, after losing to Fred Camillo (R-151st), congratulates fellow Democrat Steve Meskers for defeating Bocchino, and refers to Bocchino by a slang reference. Watch the video below shared on Facebook by the Greenwich Sentinel; the comment is made after the 6:15 minute mark.

"Ms. Kostin must publicly apologize to Mr. Bocchino and his family, as well as to the Greenwich residents whose support she sought and received," Tesei states. "Politics aside, this type of insensitive, uncivil discourse is what this Town has not and will not tolerate. I, for one, am glad that Ms. Kostin will not be a voice for Greenwich in our state Legislature."

Patch reached out to Kostin for a comment Thursday but did not immediately receive a reply.

"We have heard a lot during the past couple years from Democrats about the tone and tenor of comments made by Republicans," wrote Tesei in the statement calling for the apology. "This was borne out when one of their own who made an issue of comments made on social media by a candidate renominated by the Board of Selectmen to serve on the Board of Human Services. There was a public outcry led by RTM member and Democratic candidate for state representative, Laura Kostin.

"At the September RTM meeting, Ms. Kostin spoke with righteous indignation about those comments. In her comments Ms. Kostin said, 'If you come before this body for a vote, it would be wise to refrain from inflammatory discourse. If you’re going to be serving the neediest in our community, you should strive to create an atmosphere of tolerance and inclusion, regardless of political affiliation. And if you are going to represent our town you would do well to avoid alienating the public and refrain from needlessly divisive commentary in public forums.'

"My colleagues on the Board of Selectmen and I agreed that while the comments in question were insensitive, it was a teachable moment about civil discourse when making public comments.

"It is apparent that that teachable moment was lost on Ms. Kostin, a former journalist. On Election Night she resorted to using a caustic, vulgar and insensitive word to characterize Republican state Representative Mike Bocchino, a father, a husband and selfless, dedicated community leader. Ms. Kostin does not practice what she preaches. She made the characterization following Mr. Bocchino’s challenger’s gracious comments about the competitive race he and Mr. Bocchino had."

Tesei says that the comment has been circulated on social media, and adds that he finds it ironic that Kostin states the following in a campaign video: “We live in a time when our civil discourse is breaking down … I tell my children to treat each other with respect.”

Photo via the campaign of Laura Kostin, who stands on the right with Alexandra Bergstein and Steve Meskers.

To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.