Caught on Camera: Republicans Intimidating Democratic MPs

A Democratic representative in the US state of Vermont has had to endure months of childish and anonymous attacks from a Republican colleague.

Bullying campaigns among adults

For months, Democratic Rep. Jim Carroll has been annoyed that he always has water in his pocket. What seems like a kindergarten prank is actually a bullying campaign among adults.

Carol couldn't explain the continued presence of water in her cloth bag – it must have been an act directed against her. Carroll soon became suspicious of a Republican colleague, Mary Morrissey, who had allegedly been “bad” to him for months, as “The Guardian” quoted the injured party. “[Sie] said derogatory things in front of other representatives,” Carroll said. Democrats, however, had no evidence of Morrissey's “Watergate.” Months later, he brought the idea of ​​video surveillance to his briefcase. With success.

Transmission by video camera

Colleagues say they recognize Morrissey as allegedly pouring a cup of liquid into Carroll's pocket in two videos recorded by Carroll. However, Carroll initially did not want to release the video evidence: “I was very reluctant to release the video because I believe it would deeply embarrass Representative Morrissey,” Carroll wrote in a statement. “However, it has become clear to me that the media are aware of the details of MP Morrissey's conduct and will continue to report on that conduct in the future.”

“I'm ashamed of my actions,” Morrissey said when caught. But he reportedly initially said he didn't know who the bag belonged to. She poured water into the bag to repel insects. However, as Spiegel reported, he later said he didn't know why he had been pouring water into Caroline's bag for months.

An ending with bad memories

For Carroll, the bullying ended – but with lasting impressions: “I was hanging around here, paranoid about my fellow MPs, racking my brain about what I might have said or done.” Carroll is said to be still considering whether to report Morrissey. Asked if he forgives the wrongdoer, he said: “In the sense of forgiveness I have to reluctantly say yes. But […] “Your apology is as waterproof as my cloth bag.”