Naugatuck resident Scott Dyer was arrested by the FBI for allegedly threatening to kill various members of the Republican Party, including at least one unnamed public official. Connecticut Democrats and Republicans say they’re encouraging more in-person engagement with residents to combat worsening political discourse.
Dyer was charged on Oct.15 with making interstate threats as a result of several comments he is alleged to have posted to a YouTube video.
“I’m prepared to kill Republicans,” Dyer said. “Eager to do it actually. I already have targets in my local community selected.”
Dyer faces five years in prison, and has been released on home confinement under a $100,000 bond.
Connecticut Republican Party chair, Ben Proto, condemned the alleged acts against Democrats and Republicans and said the threats are part of a pattern.
“I have a situation with a state rep candidate, who has been getting threats and his spouse has been getting threats at her business,” Proto said.
But they’ve said they’ve noticed more in person events, have positively impacted political expression in their communities, even as they say they are still grappling with solutions to the problem.
Other municipalities such as Greenwich, have promoted workshops teaching children how to respectfully disagree with their peers. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM)has issued a civility pledge for various communities in recent years.
Despite those developments, Proto said even in-person meetings may not have a universally calming effect.
“Unfortunately what we're seeing now is when we do have those kind of in-person discussions, they turn into screaming matches where people try to shut down discussion as opposed to encouraging more open discussion and more open debate,” Proto said.
Danbury Economic and Community Development Advisor, Farley Santos, who is also a Democratic state representative for Danbury, said he received an online death threat and had to have a difficult conversation with his daughter over the incident.
But Santos said in-person conversations, especially at town halls by Mayor Roberto Alves, have helped lower the political temperature in the city.
“What we have found through these town halls is that perhaps there are some folks who stand on a different political spectrum than we do, but when we are together in a room, there is a mutual respect,” Santos said.
Alves, who is also the Connecticut Democratic Party chair, has also faced death threats and confirmed he is now accompanied by a security detail as a result.
“Nothing's changed.” Alves said. “We still host our town halls, we go everywhere.We just have that extra sense of security now,” Alves said.
