Citing Reports by the Chief of the US Park Police, Senate Candidate Corky Messner Questions Accounts That the Bryant Park Protests Were Peaceful or That the Police Used Tear Gas When President Trump Went from the White House to St. John’s Church on Monday.
In an interview with WKXL’s Chris Ryan, Corky Messner, a Republican candidate for the US Senate, discusses the unrest and the riots which have occurred in cities across the country in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. Bryant “Corky” Messner is running against retired Brigadier General Don Buldoc in a Republican Party primary on September 8, 2020. The winner of the primary election would then face Democrat incumbent Senator Jeanne Shaheen on November 3, 2020.
Corky Messner graduated from West Point in 1979 and served as an Army Rangers captain until 1984. Messner moved to New Hampshire after making his fortune by building up a corporate law firm in Colorado. His campaign is to a great extent self-funded. Messner has loaned $2 million to his campaign.
The death of George Floyd, an African American man who died while in police custody in Minnesota, has sparked protests—some peaceful and some violent—across the country. Corky Messner supports the rights of people to exercise their First Amendment rights to assemble and to peacefully protest. At the same time, he feels there is a need to maintain law and order. Corky Messner feels that much of the violent activity has been caused by leftist groups like Antifa. In addition, he is critical of Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s political attacks using divisive rhetoric.
As part of a discussion of the methods used to remove protestors from Bryant Park on Monday for President Trump’s photo op at the St. John’s Church, Corky Messner wants to wait until all of the evidence is in before making judgement. Messner points out that the Chief of the US Park Police Gregory Monahan has stated that some of the protestors were acting violently and that tear gas was not used. Corky Messner agrees with his opponent in the Republican primary, General Buldoc, that the protests currently going on in our nation’s cities are from a level which would require the use of active duty military personnel.
Corky Messner defends President Trump’s handling of the George Floyd matter: 1) Trump condemned the actions of the police officers; 2) he instructed the justice department to open an investigation of the incident and an investigation of the entire Minneapolis Police Department.
As part of the interview, systemic racism in America is discussed. Corky Messner calls for an honest discussion of the problem, its root causes, and ways that we can get rid of it. He believes that individual liberty and economic freedom create opportunity. Messner applauds programs which created opportunity zones in minority communities. He believes that America needs to redevelop manufacturing, so we can decrease our dependence on China. As we emerge from this pandemic, we have an opportunity to bring high paying jobs to depressed neighborhoods.
Corky Messner supports Governor Chris Sununu’s handling of COVID-19 pandemic because the situation is complicated and like nothing we have ever seen. However, he accepts that people who feel that New Hampshire should be reopened more quickly have a right to their opinion.
The final portion of the interview deals with the country’s economic future. Corky Messner feels that there are difficult times ahead, but he feels that we will find a way to bounce back. He believes that his business experience would be an asset in the Senate.
