David Bridges
HUDSON VALLEY – New York State Senator James Skoufis (D-Cornwall) has taken issue with tweets made by Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R-New Windsor) that were made several years ago. Schmitt is currently running for Congress against Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY-19) for the newly drawn 18th Congressional District.
One of Schmitt’s posts on Twitter, made in 2009 when Schmitt was a student at Catholic University in Washington DC, drew sharp criticism from Skoufis. The Tweet by Assemblyman Schmitt said “I know a lot of Tweets but…gorgeous preppy, girl standing across from me on the metro. WOW. Only Republicans can look that good.”
Senator Skoufis retweeted the Schmitt comment, adding his response. “What a creep. Thank goodness airdropping wasn’t invented yet.” Airdrop is a feature on Apple phones that allows iPhone users to send a message to all iPhone users within a certain range.
Taylor Weyeneth, Schmitt’s campaign manager was asked about the “Metro” tweet and told Mid-Hudson News, “Instead of making an issue out of a tweet by an 18-year-old who was flattering his college girlfriend who also happened to be the CUA college republican chair at the time, Pat Ryan may want to start explaining his support for the federal government’s secret migrant flights into Orange County Airport.”
Congressman Pat Ryan (D-19) responded to questions about the Assemblyman’s Twitter posts, saying “Our community deserves a leader who treats women with dignity and respect, not one who objectifies them and tries to control their personal reproductive health decisions.”
Senator Skoufis used his Twitter account to re-tweet a post accusing the Schmitt campaign of working to remove all tweets that may be used as campaign fodder. “Creeper #NY18 candidate
@colinschmitt is deleting his super voyeuristic Tweets as quickly as possible, but they’ve all already been snapped.”
Weyeneth also hinted that research is being conducted on Congressman Ryan’s use of social media. “Pat has bragged in the past about his prowess with “social media manipulation” and he may want to take a close look at his own social media footprint because there are numerous posts I’m sure he now wishes he had back.”
Alexandra Wilkes was dating Schmitt at the time of the “Metro” tweet. Ms. Wilkes, known for appearances on Fox News political segments, works for a political consulting firm and told Mid-Hudson News that the tweet was an inside joke between her and Schmitt. Wilkes called the resurfacing of the tweets a desperate move by the Congressman’s campaign, despite the messages being brought to light by Skoufis, not Congressman Ryan. “He (Ryan) is making innocent teenage banter the centerpiece of his failing campaign,” adding “My family and I support Colin 100% against this pathetic smear campaign orchestrated by Ryan’s far-left supporters, aided and abetted by mainstream media.”
Maya Kensington
Troy Sanders
