Posted: Monday, October 29, 2012 3:45 pm | Updated: 6:36 pm, Mon Oct 29, 2012.
ATTLEBORO — Democratic challenger Paul Heroux is accusing state Rep. George Ross of giving the finger to the audience following their heated debate last week.
Heroux said Ross, R-Attleboro, raised his middle finger at the audience when voters booed him toward the end of the forum.
The debate was carried by the local cable television channel. At one point on the videotape, Ross could be seen quickly raising his arm and hand slightly while being booed, but it is not completely clear whether he was raising his middle finger at the crowd.
Heroux said he had the video slowed down and provided a photograph to The Sun Chronicle which appears to show Ross with his finger raised.
"In no uncertain terms was Ross doing anything other than flipping the middle finger at the audience at the debate," Heroux said. "He lost his temper. This is completely unbecoming of an elected official, especially when he was lecturing me about respect."
Ross strongly denied the allegation.
"That is so wrong, I'm speechless," he said.
He said the gesture was "a dismissive wave ignited by passion."
The alleged incident came during the debate when Ross harshly criticized Heroux for not voting in some past elections. Ross said not voting is an insult to military veterans who risked their lives to protect the freedom to vote.
Heroux responded that many people do not vote in every election, including a friend of his who is a veterans' agent in a nearby community. The response seemed to anger Ross, who said of veterans who do not vote, "there is something wrong with you."
Some in the audience started to laugh and boo at Ross, which seemed to anger him more.
He said the people who are booing "don't care about this country."
That got the crowd more agitated, and some started to boo more. It was at that point that Ross made some movement of his arm and hand.
Posted in Local news, Local news on Monday, October 29, 2012 3:45 pm. Updated: 6:36 pm.
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