Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart has recently faced backlash following a tweet in which she shared her experience of using public transportation. In her post, Barnhart, who is often labeled as a progressive voice in local politics, recounted a casual outing with a friend that involved taking the bus. The tweet read, “Caught early dinner with friend downtown and we were surprised to find out we each took the bus. So we walked to the transit center after to take our respective buses home. @enjoyRTS.”
However, the seemingly innocuous tweet quickly attracted criticism from various quarters. Some commentators expressed their discontent, suggesting that Barnhart’s message came off as insincere or disconnected from the realities faced by many public transit users. For example, one user remarked, "Nothing like virtue signaling about riding a bus when you have other means," implying that Barnhart's experience did not reflect the struggles of those who rely on public transportation as their only option.
Other responses took a harsher tone, with critics accusing Barnhart of being out of touch and suggesting that her tweet trivialized the challenges faced by constituents. Comments ranged from calls for her to focus on her legislative duties rather than social media engagement, to allegations that her use of public transport was a staged event rather than a genuine experience.
Barnhart's political career has not been without controversy. Recently, she was involved in a defamation lawsuit filed by dentist Nicholas Nicosia, who claimed that her actions had severely impacted his business and personal life. This case was dismissed, but it added to a list of challenges Barnhart has faced as a public figure. Additionally, she has been critiqued by County Executive Adam Bello for allegedly disseminating misinformation during discussions surrounding the ARPA scandal.
This latest incident underscores the scrutiny that public officials often face, particularly on social media, where a single tweet can ignite widespread debate and criticism. As Barnhart navigates this backlash, it remains to be seen how it will impact her standing in her next election period.
Shanique,
As always, thank you for the article. I do wonder however --- why slavish, negropean, politicians don't seem to get critiqued (like the politician at the last link below)??? For example, if speeches that they gave during the following event >>> https://youtu.be/GjF1NAn_XlI --- DON'T represent virtue signaling, kowtowing, and buck-dancing --- then I DON'T know what in the world we would call it. Isn't it interesting (to say the very least) that "comments are turned off???" I WONDER WHY???