What was he thinking? Politician campaigns at Maryland LODD viewing
State senate candidate's cards left on vehicles at viewing for North Beach VFD member
Watch story from WTTG-TV/FOX5
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Under the category of “What was he thinking?” comes this story from Calvert County, Maryland. A week ago North Beach VFD Rescue Captain Patricia Ann Osburn, an 18-year member, died while on an EMS call. The viewing for Captain Osburn was Wednesday. When those attending left the viewing they found the card posted above on their vehicles. It’s from the campaign of Rou Etienne. Etienne is running in the Republican primary, hoping to unseat long-time Maryland State Senate President Mike Miller, a Democrat.
Etienne is apparently not a complete stranger to fire and EMS in the region. According to news reports, he is chaplain at Baden VFD in Prince George’s County.
Etienne did not respond to the news story yesterday (Friday) by Brooke Singman and Anjali Hemphill at WTTG-TV/FOX5, but he did provide a somewhat rambling response today on his Facebook page. The full response is posted below. Here are some of the operative comments that talk about both an apology and “FAKE NEWS”.
For the record I did reach out and followed up ASAP publicly on social media when family and friends reached out and I apologized… Fox 5 didn’t get the ALL the TRUTH I did reach out, Fox5 you owe me an interview?
Voters that know me and understand politics will not fall for the FAKE NEWS games… VoteROU.com June 26 your Votes will count PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY in LEGISLATION and it’s not going to cost you nothing but for your Vote for ROU!
You do have to wonder what he apologized for if this story was “FAKE NEWS”.
During Osburn’s viewing Wednesday evening, North Beach Fire Department Chief Joey Keller said hundreds of attendees came out to campaign cards for Rou Etienne Jr, a Republican candidate for the Maryland State Senate.
“Not only was it a death of one of our members that’s been around here for a very long time but it was a line of duty death so it makes it that much more emotional,” Keller explained to FOX 5. “I just thought it was very distasteful and so did everybody else that came out and found it on their car.”
FOX 5 has also confirmed that Etienne serves as a chaplain for the Baden Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George’s County.
FOX 5 reached out to Etienne for comment but has not yet heard back. Etienne has also not responded or commented on the dozens of posts to his Facebook page.
