Rep Sean Lynn on Being the Target of the DeGOP’s Unhinged Hate Campaign
I don’t even know where to begin with this post, but given the sheer number of calls, texts and emails I’ve gotten today, I feel like I have to address it.
Sometimes, being in elected office is just not fun. Today, unfortunately, is one of those days. For most of the last year I and my family have been the victim of an endless stream of vitriol and harassment. Public posts on social media have falsely accused me variously of being everything from a domestic terrorist to bullying a local business to a child abuser. I’ve been attacked personally and professionally in ways I didn’t know a person could be attacked. I’ve had anonymous letters sent to my home telling my family we aren’t welcome in our neighborhood and we should move. My Partner and I’s law firm has been disparaged and false “reviews” have been left about our work. My late parents were brought into these attacks as well as my siblings, Messages have even been sent to my sister, harassing her.
Despite this, during the last campaign, I just kept my mouth shut and didn’t address the insanity. 2020 was a bad year as we all know, and political passions ran higher than I have ever seen. So, I took the high road and just ignored it.
Behind the scenes, however, there were the 3:30 am Facebook messages attacking me, harassing me, and threatening me. Despite same, I just kept moving forward. That began to change in late February when a series of posts about my support of Biden appointee Dr. Rachel Levine began to devolve into comments about me needing a “bulit” (ironically, the poster later went and corrected the spelling to “bullet”).
This morning I awoke to worried phone calls from many friends throughout town about a number of signs with my photograph on them insinuating I’m (in true QAnon fashion) a pedophile.
Imagine getting this news while you’re getting your kids ready to go to their soccer game on a Saturday morning. How do I explain this to my kids? Now I’m absent from a soccer game because I have to report this idiocy to the police. This led to a morning reporting the incident to Dover PD, answering calls and trying to explain something that can really only make sense in the craziness that is our current climate.
But this goes beyond politics. I’m just a regular guy who loves his hometown and wants to make our state the best it can be for my kids and your kids. I loved growing up here, and I want others to have that same community that I enjoyed. However, when people are so convinced by crazy internet stories about pizzagate and QAnon and election fraud (and on and on) that what began as a journey to help my neighbors now has evolved to my face on a sign saying that I’m a pedophile.
I just don’t know how we got here. Not just as a Country, but, literally, here in Dover and my own neighborhood. Is this the new political norm? Instead of legitimate political and ideological differences, we are just going to slap our neighbors face on a sign and call them a pedophile and put those signs up where their family and kids can see them? Is that seriously where we are?
The truth is I’ve seen this coming for awhile, and it’s a real shame that local political leaders, the people in charge of the local RDs and county and State parties don’t condemn this kind of nonsense. I’ve previously reached out to Jane Brady, personally, a fellow attorney, ethically charged with the duty to defend the good name of another member of the Bar, and she didn’t even call me back.
Going back a few weeks, I posted a defense of Dr. Rachel Levine regarding the attacks made against her by Rand Paul. You’ll see one of the three posts made about me because of that defense depicted below. That post says that I’m an “absolute danger to your children”, that I promote “genital mutilation” for children, and that I should be registered as a “sexual predator”. Later, in that same series of allegations, the vileness spewed says I’m an “imminent danger to Dover”. That comment engendered the response that I need a “bulit”.
So, yeah, this is where we are. I’m not going to post a picture of the actual sign because it’s twisted, but below you can see the sick mire from which this nonsense sprung. To my LGBTQ+ folks out there in Dover and throughout the State, you are wonderful and brave people. You have my faithful and undying support. This hasn’t changed anything.
To the person behind this, you need help. Really. https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.lynn
Make no mistake – this is the DEGOP continuing to go after Sean Lynn on behalf of the NRA.
They are all guilty as fuck, and yet it will be IMPOSSIBLE to get any of the fucking grifters and do-nothings in the DeGOP on the record against this because they are chickenshits.
Worse yet, the Delaware “media” will never even attempt to get the “good guys” in the DeGOP on the record.
This violent vitriol is appalling – and Jane Brady’s silence on it, her unwillingness to issue even the mildest of rebukes to the hate-filled mob that is the GOP is disgusting. It makes the GOP accomplices.
Rep. Sean Lynn is one of the best representatives we have. A true progressive who is as principled as anybody in Dover. This kind of attack on him is unconscionable.
The Delaware Rethuglican Party has devolved into a den of, well, thugs. Jane Brady is its den mother.
Sean, you have our support.
I don’t think a statement from Jane Brady would help. Don’t treat the perps like they are uncatchable. They aren’t that smart – a motivated investigation should be able to identify them.
Not sure how motivated the Trumpy cops would be so it would have to be a civilian investigation. If nothing else, try to get Facebook to ban their accounts. FYI I’m not on Facebook.
Going public is a good idea. I’m sure Sean has lots of allies who have their ears in the community and can help.
A statement from Brady at least points Harpster’s actions out and says, ‘this kind of thing is wrong”.
She can’t even do that?
I just looked at Sean’s Facebook page and saw the offending messages. I didn’t realize the perp was using his real name and is a known crank and misfit.
…And mouthing Lauren Witzke’s words.
Jane Brady is a vile piece of shit and always has been. It’s always a good idea to remind as many people as possible of that.
Hats off to Sean, he is a braver and more resolute man then I ever was. In old age I wonder what will become of this state and this nation and am surprised more violence has not occurred following the debacle 0f 1/6. Threats and hatred are what the conservative do, and QAnon has throne more fuel on the fire of their collective insanity.
Richard Harpster is this guy who posts on every Delaware State News story with violent attacks and racist language nearly every day, but he says it in a supposedly intellectual way that never gets him banned or reprimanded despite the site’s clear rules against that sort of posting. I knew I would see his name when I saw this story.
Richard Harpster’s Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/richard.harpster.3
Every 2-3rd post is about Sean.
The venom is real. This guy makes the craziest allegations!
I said my piece yesterday, but saying again this is vile and dangerous. F Jane Brady!
Somebody buried the lede: Harpster ran against Lynn in 2020, and got his ass handed to him:
SEAN M. LYNN Democratic Party 3,857 3,032 6,889 69.21 %
RICHARD HARPSTER Republican Party 2,299 766 3,065 30.79 %
I assume the Delaware Republican Party has come out publicly to denounce Mr. Harpster’s language and to unequivocally distance themselves from this fringe candidate?
You assume erroneously.
No doubt Harpster gets applause and high-fives at Dover veterans’ posts and fire halls.
Knowing who the guy is makes it very easy to sue him for defamation, which I would do if I were Sean Lynn. Bankrupt the motherfucker.
Not on Facebook so I don’t see Harpsters comments, but I suspect he is walking the line of protected speech, and Sean knows very well what is actionable or not. And who knows what a Kent County jury would do. Besides, it isn’t a good look for an elected official to be suing a former opponent.