John McNamara, the endorsed Democratic candidate for Mayor, has condemned  a series of “divisive, racially charged” social media posts attributed to a member of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’s Alderman at Large slate.

At issue are recent Facebook posts by Republican candidate Peter Ceglarz in which Ceglarz shares and agrees with messages from right-wing groups defending the Confederate flag and referring to such organizations as the NAACP, United Negro College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund as “racist.”  In another post President Obama is linked with Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin over gun ownership rights.  Ceglarz also disparages low-income workers in disseminating his views over a Facebook page.

McNamara, the Democratic Town Chairman, said he and members of the Democratic slate are appalled at this “display of racial and ethnic intolerance” from a member of Stewart’s slate. “Mr. Ceglarz “has every right to express his opinions but it’s incumbent on city leaders to show respect for all the people they seek to represent.”

A Facebook post from Team Stewart’s Aldermanic Candidate Peter Ceglarz

“Mayor Stewart proudly touted her slate of aldermanic candidates including Mr. Ceglarz before Republicans nominated their candidates in July,” stated McNamara. “but divisive messages in social media or anywhere in our community that are antagonistic to the city’s 36,400 Latino and African American residents is an affront to all citizens.”

McNamara questioned the judgment of Mayor Stewart in selecting Ceglarz for the at large council post and called upon the Mayor to condemn Ceglarz’ views just as she did several weeks ago when a member of the Republican State Central Committee from Berlin hung a Confederate flag outside his home.

“When the Republican Governor of South Carolina can order the removal of the Confederate flag from her state capitol it is hard to believe that any major party in a city as diverse as New Britain could select a candidate whose views are so inflammatory and divisive,” McNamara said.