A former mayor from Connecticut was recently criticized for making an anti-Asian comment on social media.

According to the Hartford Courant, Timothy Stewart, the former mayor of New Britain, made an anti-Asian remark on Facebook. His comment referenced a racist remark made by Donald Trump during the presidential debate.

Stewart was responding to another person’s comment on a post about Trump incorrectly claiming that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating house pets.

“I have a few friends in Ohio, and they said that they are killing and eating geese ducks and cats 1 said so far they are leaving the dogs alone,” the person said, according to screenshots taken by the New Britain Progressive.

Stewart replied, “Need to bring in some Asians for that,” with a laughing emoji.

This isn’t the first time Stewart has made offensive comments on social media. In 2019 he commented, “**tches in heat,” on a photo of female Democratic lawmakers listening to then-President Donald Trump’s address.

The most recent comment sparked outrage among the AANHPI community in Connecticut.

“This constant racist commentary is one that I’ve heard over and over again in my life,” Jenny Heikkila Díaz, co-chair of the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC), said in an interview with NBC Connecticut.

Local politicians are also asking Stewart to step down from his role on New Britain’s school building committee.

“As a representative of New Britain’s diverse community, I am appalled by the racist rhetoric expressed by Mr. Stewart. His behavior is unacceptable, and he must take responsibility for his actions. He should step down from his role on the School Building Committee immediately,” Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-New Britain) said in a statement, per NBC Connecticut.

Stewart’s daughter, Erin Stewart, is the current mayor of New Britain. She did not respond to NBC Connecticut’s requests for comment, but on Tuesday, she announced that she would not seek a seventh term as mayor.

Stewart told NBC Connecticut he had no comment.

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