Matt Putorti is an openly gay Democrat and currently running for the Congressional 21st District seat in the House of Representatives. Yesterday he shared a voicemail he received from an anonymous caller accusing him of being a spy before unleashing a bunch of anti-gay slurs.
“As a gay man, I was really excited to announce my campaign for Congress during #pride and I knew what I was getting myself into,” Putorti wrote. “Less than a week later, I received this anonymous voicemail message full of hate and homophobia. [Trigger warning.] Although I am not surprised it is not ok.
? #Thread: As a gay man, I was really excited to announce my campaign for Congress during #pride and I knew what I was getting into. Less than a week later, I received this anonymous voicemail message full of hate and homophobia. [Trigger warning.] Although I am not surprised it is not ok. pic.twitter.com/mwhZOc0IVg
– Matt Putorti (@MattPutorti) June 21, 2021
Putorti followed up with another calling on Congress to pass the equality law, then another with a message to the anonymous caller.
“Finally, to the appellant: My gay brothers and sisters and I are braver than you will ever be. But, if you want to speak person to person in a civil manner, please contact us; we can share a spaghetti dinner together.
Finally, to the questioner: My queer siblings and I are braver than you ever will be. But, if you want to speak person to person in a civil manner, please contact us; we can share a spaghetti dinner together.
– Matt Putorti (@MattPutorti) June 21, 2021
Speaking to local media, Putorti said he would be more than happy to sit down with the anonymous caller and have a heart to heart with him.
“One way to solve some of these problems is to get to know each other. Maybe he doesn’t know a queer person, ”he said. “I think that’s one of the ways to fix this hatred that exists.”
Putorti, who is an insurance recovery and advisory lawyer, hopes to win the Democratic primary so he can topple Rep. Elise Stefanik, the anti-Gay Republican Trump who replaced Liz Cheney when she was ousted from the House Republican Conference presidency. .
Days after announcing his candidacy, Stefanik started attacking Putorti, calling him a “Socialist Democrat” and “far-left” New York City lawyer who donated money to Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, among others. .
Putorti’s campaign responded in a statement saying, “It says a lot that Elise Stefanik is so terrified of a challenger that she immediately resorted to outright distortions of who Matt is and why he is. present.”
“Matt made political contributions to Democrats from top to bottom in the poll. In 2020, Matt donated to several Democrats in the presidential primary because he believed defeating Donald Trump was of critical importance to our democracy.
Graham Gremore is editor and editor at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
