Massie rants on Twitter while much-needed Kentucky projects languish: Opinion
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This summer, as we sit in miles of traffic, inching toward the Brent Spence Bridge, Northern Kentuckians will have plenty of time to think about who is responsible for this mess.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Vanceburg) is the Fourth District congressman who ought to be fighting every single day to win funding for a new bridge to end the congestion. The gridlock along the entire I-75 corridor hurts small businesses, deprives commuters time with our families and people to drive through residential neighborhoods trying to find a way to the airport. Our children breathe diesel exhaust from idled semis.
Massie ought to be a champion for a new bridge. Instead? He voted no to the bipartisan infrastructure bill last year, he didn’t show up to the bipartisan Brent Spence press conference held in his own district, and he made no statement to support the effort. In 10 years as our congressman, he hasn’t lifted a finger to address our pressing infrastructure needs.
Instead, Rep. Massie did what he does best. He tweeted.
On the day the House passed the infrastructure bill, Nov. 5, 2021, he tweeted:
A rant against mask requirements;
A pat on his own back for introducing a bill that would have substituted his own judgment over our military leaders concerning vaccine requirements in the military;
A clip of the energy secretary explaining that oil cartels control gas prices;
A conspiracy theory about COVID-19 vaccines;
A call to "ABOLISH OSHA," the agency that keeps workers safe;
A video of a guy dressed like a Bond villain celebrating stand-your-ground gun laws;
And…another rant against mask requirements.
In February, Governors Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) and Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) announced a bistate, bipartisan effort to finally fund a companion bridge without tolls. U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell, Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman supported it. So did Kentucky State Representatives Rachel Roberts and Buddy Wheatley, Covington Mayor Joe Meyer and Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval.
Not Massie.
On the day Kentucky’s and Ohio’s governors announced the Brent Spence Bridge effort in Massie’s district, Feb. 28, he tweeted a rant about masks, an argument with a teacher, his opposition to extra security for the State of the Union speech, and his opposition to the president’s call to support democracy in Ukraine.
Rep. Massie is supposed to represent our historic Ohio River towns like Carrollton, Maysville, Ludlow, Warsaw, Bellevue, Russell, Dayton, Augusta, Newport and Vanceburg. In these treasured communities, we suffer from antiquated sewer systems and centuries-old lead pipes. Every time it rains, we hope that another part of Route 8 doesn’t fall into the river and we pray that the sewer doesn’t back up into our basement.
Rep. Massie is supposed to represent our emerging rural communities in places like Harrison, Grant, Owen, Trimble, Henry, Gallatin, Pendleton, Carter and Robertson counties. When our county leaders compete for new businesses and new jobs, we are at a disadvantage when we don’t have access to affordable broadband.
Rep. Massie is supposed to represent fast-growing suburban areas that border Cincinnati and Louisville – counties like Oldham, Shelby, Nelson and Boone (home of CVG airport). These places are the engine of Kentucky’s future economy where we need increased air and rail capacity to distribute products made right here throughout the world.
By passing the infrastructure bill last November, America decided to make long-term investments in bridges, roads, broadband, lead-free water, airport expansion and railway improvements.
But winning our share of these federal funds will require strong local leadership. We will compete against other states, and even other congressional districts in Kentucky, because there’s not enough money for everything. Responsible, grown-up leaders who do their jobs can win funding for these much-needed projects. We don’t have that now.
Even worse, Rep. Massie actively supported a challenger to defeat incumbent Republican State Representative Sal Santoro, Transportation Committee Chair in the Kentucky General Assembly in the recent primary. He is actively working against influential members of his own party trying to improve our Northern Kentucky roads.
I was born and raised in Northern Kentucky, and I went to college and started a company in Louisville. I have been fortunate to make friends throughout the Commonwealth and the region. All of us – Republicans, Democrats and independents – know that we deserve better representation in Kentucky’s Fourth District. We need a strong leader to fight for us in Washington.
We have a clear alternative this November. It’s time to vote Massie out of office so he can spend more time ranting on Twitter. And we’ll elect a congressman who will listen to and respond to our needs.
Matt Lehman, a Newport resident, is a candidate for Kentucky’s Fourth Congressional District seat. He is an entrepreneur and is raising three children with his wife, Adriana.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Thomas Massie rants while much-needed Ky. projects languish: Opinion:
