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Newsday - Local Dems have words of their own for Coulter
Saturday June 10, 2006From Newsday:
Local Dems have words of their own for Coulter
BY CARL MACGOWAN
Newsday Staff Writer
June 10, 2006
House Democrats from Long Island and New York City on Friday joined the chorus of critics slamming Ann Coulter.
The lawmakers signed a letter drafted by Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) demanding that the conservative commentator apologize for saying in her new book that widows of some 9/11 victims are "enjoying" their husbands' deaths. The book refers to the four New Jersey women as "the witches of East Brunswick."
"Their personal loss should never be minimized, especially in such a cold and callous way as you attack these victims in your book," Israel wrote.
As of Friday afternoon, Israel had collected the signatures of 19 House colleagues.
"It's lawmakers who have seen firsthand what [the 9/11 widows] went through and are outraged by what Ann Coulter wrote about them," Israel said.
No Republicans had signed the letter, even though Israel invited all members of Congress from the tristate area to do so.
The Democrats join Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Republicans such as Gov. George Pataki and Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) in criticizing Coulter.
Coulter has defended the book, saying the widows' political activism opens them up to criticism. The book, "Godless: The Church of Liberalism," was No. 22 on the bestseller list on Amazon.com on Friday after topping the list earlier this week.
In his letter, Israel called the women "responsible citizens" who raised their voices in keeping with American tradition.
"We understand that you are in the book business and that controversy might make for good sales," Israel wrote to Coulter, "but we would urge you to consider that making mean-spirited comments about women trying to do the right thing might not be worth the resultant rise on the bestseller list."
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc