The saga of incivility continues.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his wife Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao were confronted by protesters while attempting to enjoy dinner at a Cuban restaurant in Louisville, Ky., over the weekend.
The Huffington Post reports,
Customer Casey Leek told The Louisville Courier-Journal that a woman confronted McConnell at the Cuban restaurant Havana Rumba, calling him a “traitor” as other diners clapped and cheered.
Then another angry diner captured on video obtained by TMZ harangued McConnell as he sat quietly with his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
”Why don’t you get out of here? Why don’t you leave the entire country alone?” the unidentified customer asked.
Leek said the man grabbed McConnell’s to-go box of leftovers and dumped the food on the sidewalk outside. Other diners appeared to speak up to support the protester — with one yelling “Ditch Mitch” — while some urged him to leave the senator alone. USA Today said as many as four men confronted McConnell, though only one was captured on video.
Some customers are heard coming to McConnell’s defense, telling the man in the TMZ video to leave McConnell and Chao alone.
The end of the video shows the restaurant owners finally stepping in to escort the man away.
The restaurant issued a statement on Saturday, saying, “We deeply regret the incident that took place at our restaurant this weekend. We strongly believe everyone should feel welcome and safe in our restaurants.”
In response to criticism that the restaurant let the situation get out of hand, Havana Rumba said, "It was Friday night in the middle of the rush and our staff was caught off guard as the incident developed quickly. Once we were aware of the situation we acted quickly and efficiently to assure that everyone was safe."
McConnell’s office issued a statement to CNN, saying that McConnell and Chao “enjoyed their meal in Louisville last night and they appreciate those who spoke up against incivility.”
“They hope other patrons weren’t too inconvenienced by the left-wing tantrums and as the leader often says, the Senate will not be intimidated by the antics of far-left protesters.”