At a healthcare townhall meeting last week at Simpson University in Redding, Calif., a man stood up and identified himself as a “proud right-wing terrorist.”

'I'm a Proud Right-Wing Terrorist'

from TPR: The Public Record | In-Depth, Incisive, Independent Reporting by Jason Leopold

http://pubrecord.org/multimedia/4211/im-proud-right-wing-terrorist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=im-proud-right-wing-terrorist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yw060QwkUE

At a healthcare townhall meeting last week at Simpson University in Redding, Calif., a man stood up and identified himself as a "proud right-wing terrorist."

"Amen. God bless you. There is a great American," responded Rep. Wally Herger, R-Calif. Herger's officeidentified the man as Bert Stead.

Herger's enthusiastic response made national headlines and the congressman was criticized by the likes of Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann. Democrats are now demanding an apology from Herger.

"People die as a result of terrorism. He needs to own up and take responsibility for that. In fact, he should condemn it," said Bill Falzett, chairman of the Yuba County Central Democratic Committee.

Herger's office released a statement in response to the criticism:

Congressman Herger stands by his statement in support of his constituent. Mr. Bert Stead is a taxpayer and veteran, who, like so many others, is rightfully fed up with being called "un-American", or "extremist" or a "political terrorist" by liberals in Washington, for simply exercising his First Amendment rights. Mr. Stead served his country and therefore he is a great American. The Congressman doesn't at all regret commending him for standing up, exercising his free speech rights, and expressing his strong concerns with the direction liberals in Washington are taking our country.

The Appeal Democrat newspaper printed a letter to the editor on Wednesday written by Maxine Elliot who said she was unhappy with Herger voicing his approval for Stead's "right-wing terrorist" remark.

"Disagreement is very American, as is civil debate. However, praising an 'American terrorist' steps over the line into the dark side and into shades of Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber who killed many people,"  Elliot, a Yuba City resident, wrote.