Connecticut gubernatorial candidate Erin Stewart blasts media, Democrats, GOP for ignoring meme depicting her burned at stake

HARTFORD, Conn. - After "four days of silence," candidate Erin Stewart is "calling on the media, the Governor, and leaders of both parties" to condemn a widely circulated meme depicting her being burned at the stake.

The meme, posted by BLM860, a Hartford group known for outspoken and off-color advocacy, refers to the former New Britain mayor and gubernatorial candidate's recent comments that ongoing allegations of impropriety in the tax collector's office under her tenure and that she sought a pension she didn't qualify for constitute a witch hunt.

The meme is captioned "Connecticut has a history of finding witches and burning them. We just pardoned a bunch like 3 years ago so Erin's gotta good shot at getting out of prison early. #ItsAWitchHunt"

The meme was posted Friday and on Monday, Stewart campaign chairman John Healey sent a statement to the press, referring to the recent alleged assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, alleging the meme calls for her death and questioning why a response similar to that following the alleged Trump assassination did not accompany the BLM860 meme.

Erin Stewart claims ‘witch hunt' but doesn't address pension issues

"It's been four days of silence. From the media. From Ned Lamont and his Democrats. From our Republican opponents. Just nine days ago, the country watched another attempt on President Trump's life by a radicalized left-wing attacker. The immediate response, as always, was a call to ‘tone down the rhetoric.' But four days ago, when an image circulated calling for the death of Connecticut's leading Republican gubernatorial candidate - nothing. Total silence."

The lack of coverage in the media and attention from Republican leaders, including Sen. Ryan Fazio, Stewart's rival for the Republican nomination for governor, is hypocritical, Healey implies, following the attention paid to a report on alleged misconduct by now-fired New Britain tax collector Cheryl Blogoslawski and allegations that Stewart was involved. Stewart also had to walk back comments she made to News 8's Dennis House that she was offered bribes "all the time" while in office.

"After two straight weeks of breathless coverage built on a bought-and-paid-for report from a partisan operative - one riddled with coercion, threats, and false conclusions - the same media suddenly has no interest in covering an actual death threat. Just as troubling is the silence from our Republican opponents, who have been all too willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Democrats to push these false narratives. Erin Stewart has honored Reagan's 11th Commandment because she understands this race is about more than a primary - it's about winning the governorship and leading this state forward. But enough is enough. Since no one else seems willing to speak up, we are calling on the media, the Governor, and leaders of both parties to publicly condemn this disgusting behavior - and hold those responsible to account."

BLM860 advocates on a wide range of issues, mostly benefiting marginalized people but often including off-color criticism of politicians across the entire political spectrum. The post garnered nearly 200 comments, mostly calling the meme vulgar and indecent.

The group responded to commenters, "I hope people realize the satire here."

In a statement Monday, BLM860 said: "It's a meme, and clearly a joke. No one is calling for Erin's death and the caption made it painfully clear. She's using a meme and purposely taking it out of context to win herself sympathy points because she's not getting the nomination at the convention. BLM860 has been critical on a bipartisan basis and even issued a list of elected officials we have criticized in the past, the list mostly compromised of Democrat elected officials the same week as the meme.

"While one of our members is grateful for the illegal political favor Erin gave their their father before his death or to their former friend Steven, she was not involved and owes Erin no loyalty. Before asking people to "tone down the rhetoric" due to a joke, it is important to note she is seeking the endorsement of a president that continues to threaten people and wipe out an entire country. This is not the 1600s and we have never burned a witch at the stake in Connecticut, please find another way to save your failing campaign. You're giving desperation."

The state's Republican Party leader, Ben Proto, pointed the blame at state Democrats he said are seeking to "instill more hate and seek harm," including a freshman representative who this weekend came under fire for unsupported attacks on a Republican colleague who serves as a police officer.

"Unfortunately, the Democrats and their surrogates continue to raise the temperature on hate-filled comments, social media posts and statements by elected representatives," Proto said.

"From this utterly racist meme from BLM suggesting that Erin Stewart should be put to death, to Nick Menapace's unfounded attack on Representative Greg Howard for his work as a police officer, to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro suggesting to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin that he drink a deadly poison, the left has decided that driving hate, hoping that others, who they don't agree with suffer physical harm, is a whole new level of disgusting that should be rejected by the people of Connecticut and America."

Stewart had previously implied that the Lamont campaign was behind the New Britain report and that negative publicity showed that Democrats believe she has the best chance to unseat him. But Monday afternoon Lamont campaign Political Director Rob Blanchard condemned the image.

"Imagery that evokes political violence is concerning and has no place in our public discourse. We must be able to express our views freely without fear or intimidation, and be committed to civility and the peaceful exchange of ideas," Blanchard said.

Neither the Hartford Police nor Connecticut State Police is investigating the matter.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 5:44 PM.