Back in 2006, former Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) made national news when he called firefighters “lazy bums’. Three months after that Burns was unemployed and Jon Tester became the new Senator from Montana.
Now we have another story, very similar in nature. From TPM:
Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT), fresh off his Republican primary win, filed a lawsuit Friday against the City of Billings and the Billings Fire Department for damages sustained in a 2008 fire. Rehberg is the developer of record for the 1,000-acre subdivision that is managed by his wife.
The lawsuit, which seeks an award to be determined at trial, says that the fire department “breached its duty” during the July 2008 fire. The Rehbergs are claiming damages for the loss of trees and ground cover in an area they intended to develop.
Two points need brought up here. First off, what about tort reform? I thought Republicans were against these lawsuits, yet time and time again we see them filing suit after suit. Talk about a massive hypocrisy.
And the second, and more important point. Why do Republicans feel like firefighters are lazy and never do their job? As a former firefighter I’ve heard this song and dance from other Republican politicians before. When you aren’t on a run and resting at the firehouse, they think you are being lazy. I would love to put one of these fat asses in 75 pounds of gear in the middle of the hot summer and send them into a burning building. I guarantee they will collapse instantly.
So Rep. Denny Rehberg, all I can say to you is “fuck off”. Fire departments are already struggling around this country with budget cuts, and you are just making it worse.
Hopefully Montana has a Democrat lined up to take this waste of oxygen out of the House and give us a repeat of what happened to Conrad Burns.