Banisch Resigns RTM Leadership Role After Social Media Post

MADISON, CT — Madison Republican Town Committee chair Eileen Banisch has resigned a less than two weeks after posting, and then deleting, controversial comments she made on the Facebook page of GOP state Senate candidate Joe LaPorta.

A statement from Banisch about her resignation from the RTC was provided to a number of media outlets. In it, she wrote in part that her comments were "construed by some to be divisive, anti-Semitic and even violent. Such things were never my intent and I truly regret the trouble my comments have caused. "

Banisch, who has headed up the Chamber of Commerce for decades, is reported to have said in the statement that she has "... worked hard to build an inclusive Chamber that supports all businesses in our town," and added that she had resigned from her RTC post " ... in order to convey my allegiance to promoting all members of the Chamber equally."

Repeated Patch requests to the RTC and Banisch for the statement and comment were not returned.

The comments appeared Sept. 5. Patch reached out to Banisch on Sept. 8 via Facebook and email for comment on her now-deleted post; she did not return those messages.

The comments in question were on a LaPorta post about the Second Amendment in which he is seen aiming a gun with a caption that begins, "I received word that I have received an endorsement from the NRA and a Pro-2A designation from the CCDL. As someone who has enjoyed the shooting sports for years, I believe I have a much better understanding of how gun laws will effect the common citizen as well as firearm function and safety compared to most of the politicians in Hartford ...."

On his post, Banisch wrote two comments that were later deleted.

"You should but a bagel on the bullseye!"

"Toss bagels in the air like skeet!"

LaPorta is running against state Sen. Christine Cohen, who owns Cohen's Bagels in Madison, a chamber business member.

In a statement emailed to Patch, Cohen said she was "disappointed" by the remarks.

"As a member business of the Madison Chamber, I know how important it is for local small businesses to have nonpartisan representation," she said.

Cohen also noted that Banisch called her to apologize and said the Madison Chamber of Commerce also reached out to her.

She accepted the apology: "I think all parties are glad to put this behind us."

"We will continue to stay on as a member of the Madison Chamber, along with the many fantastic businesses in town, and join with others in appreciation of all the efforts of the Chamber to promote our companies," Cohen said.

Some outraged by Banisch's comments, others by criticism of her

After complaints about Banisch's comments, LaPorta said he removed her remarks.

"I actually removed it — when I saw the comment in question, I clicked 'hide' thinking that would have gotten rid of it, as I’ve never managed a Facebook page before this endeavor to this extent, and I don’t make a habit out of removing comments, even unflattering ones. For whatever the reason, it was still visible. When it was brought to my attention, I deleted it. I’m sorry to hear that the statement of another disqualifies me from earning your support, but again, that is your right."

Banisch's comments were characterized by some as anti-Semitic and violent.

" ... it wasn’t just a random commenter. It was a completely appalling comment from someone who certainly should know better," one wrote on the LaPorta Facebook post.

A number of other online criticisms of Banisch followed.

On its Facebook page, the RTC characterized commentary about Banisch's remarks as a "personal bullying campaign plain and simple" and "shameful online bullying of one of Madison’s hardest working town supporters."

Zoning Board of Appeals alternate member Republican Dennis Crowe, who with Banisch is a moderator of a private Madison Facebook page, wrote accusing the head of the town Democratic Party of trying to "destroy" Banisch over a "minor joke."

" ... Joan Walker, the chairman of the Democratic town committee, has sent her flying monkeys out on a mission — she wants the ruby slippers and she’s attempting to destroy one of the most engaged, productive people in this town. She has orchestrated an attack on Eileen Banisch over a minor joke that Joan has decided to mischaracterize in order to cost Eileen her job."

And Banisch's daughter Casey Speed Goodwin wrote a lengthy post on a Madison community page in support of her mother.

Speed Goodwin noted that she is " ... about as liberal as you can get" while claiming that her mother's comments were nonviolent and not anti-Semitic. And said her mother loves Cohen's bagels.

"It was CERTAINLY not anti-Semitic. I think it was so far from it that she didn’t even think about how it could be construed that way since it wasn’t in any way based on religion. It was just a silly joke about the opposing side, who happens to sell bagels. Frankly, bagels WOULD make for good target practice, if you’re into that," she wrote. "There was no threat to anyone’s life, property, or livelihood. There was nothing that could be construed as inciting violence against a person or property. It was a silly joke. Not a great one but not a horrible one, either."

Chamber says Banisch's comments were in "poor taste"

Despite repeated requests, the Madison Chamber of Commerce did not provide its statement to Patch, though it did to other media outlets.

In a New Haven Register report, the chamber statement said the comments made by Banisch were done "in poor taste and in no way reflect the values embraced by the Madison Chamber of Commerce," and that it is the "goal of the Chamber to promote member businesses equally in a non-partisan, non-discriminatory manner.”