THE governor’s special policy advisor, Robert H. Hunter, said the House of Representatives should investigate and reprimand Rep. Edwin K. Propst for making verbal threats of physical violence.
In a video clip that was widely spread on social media, Propst called Robert Hunter “a loud mouth. He’s a little b—. Robert Hunter, one day, Robert you and me, face to face, I’ll ‘jam’ you. You know it, boy. You know I’ll smack the s— out of you. Robert, Robert Hunter, p— a— b—.”
In a letter to House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez on Thursday, Hunter said: “I write to you to express my serious concern over remarks, nay unprovoked physical threats, made via a social media video by a sitting member of the House of Representatives of the 22nd Commonwealth Legislature. If you are not aware of the video, which has been making its rounds on social media platforms like Facebook and messaging platforms like WhatsApp, it contains straightforward threats of physical violence by Representative Edwin Propst against me and other members of the public. In a video he self-produced and self-broadcast, he uses disgusting and inappropriate language, invites a physical altercation, and describes how he will physically harm me and others.”
According to Hunter, “Not only were these expletive-filled threats of violence, but the highly aggressive and unhinged demeanor of Representative Propst in the delivery of the threats was in-and-of-itself very concerning. They were hate-filled and frankly the product of someone who is not of sound mind or sensibility.”
Hunter added, “This is absolutely unacceptable behavior from a member of our Legislature and the threatening of the physical well-being of particular members of the public, beyond being absolutely unbecoming of a legislator, may be a violation of law. Representative Propst holds a high position of public trust, influence over our laws, and thus, power. That…he feels he has the authority to threaten members of the public with physical violence is especially egregious because of the position he holds.”
Hunter said that at no time in the previous year or longer has he communicated directly with Propst, nor has he ever threatened physical violence against the lawmaker, anyone in his family, or his property.
“I have done nothing to physically threaten or endanger Representative Propst, or that may be in any way construed as a reason for him to threaten me with physical violence or attempt to provoke a violent event,” Hunter said.
“These threats also lend insight into the mindset of Representative Propst. I believe that anyone in such a position, who cannot control themselves enough to restrain themselves from such deplorable behavior and physically threatening members of the public in an open social media forum, presents a real danger, not only to me and my family, but to the others he has publicly threatened and the general public.”
“No one should be physically threatened for their political views or their political speech, or for that matter, for scrutiny and criticism of those in public office,” Hunter added.
“Representative Propst regularly casts aspersions, calls particular elected officials names, criticizes, makes insinuations, and verbally attacks other public officials and members of the public. Threatening physical violence, as far as I know, has never been a return response, and again, it is absolutely unacceptable that this is exactly what was promulgated by a member of our lawmaking body. Beyond his usual ‘cyberbullying,’ these were specific and direct threats of violence.”
Hunter, who is currently off-island, asked that the House investigate this matter and that Propst “be duly reprimanded as severely as allowable for his reprehensible and unacceptable behavior.”
“Our great Commonwealth cannot retain Representatives who physically threaten members of the public,” Hunter said.
Asked for comment Propst said, “For months on end, Robert Henry Hunter had cyberbullied me and relentlessly attacked me on social media, creating memes and calling me a pedophile and other horrible things. He did this while he was the senior policy advisor and Governor Torres condoned it. After all the attacks, Robert now acts as if I am actually going to harm him. What a joke.”
On Thursday afternoon, Propst went on Facebook Live to publicly apologize to those he offended “for cursing out a troll fake account user who consistently attacks” him.
Robert Hunter
