Democrat Senator Blumenthal speaks at event with ties to Communist Party

Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal this past weekend spoke at an event hosted by a group with roots to the Communist Party and whose leaders used the event to recruit new members.

Blumenthal presented certificates of special recognition from the Senate to three winners of the "Amistad Award," presented by the Connecticut People's World Committee.

"I'm here to honor the great tradition of activism and standing up for individual workers that is represented by the three honorees here," said the Connecticut lawmaker, who has an estimated net worth of more than $100 million. 

The People's World Committee on its website says it's a "voice for progressive change and socialism in the United States" and that it "traces its lineage to the Daily Worker newspaper, founded by communists, socialists, union members, and other activists in Chicago in 1924."

Blumenthal at the event also touted Washington Democrats' trillion-dollar Build Back Better agenda. 

"There’s a lot to be working for in economic justice, in racial equity, in establishing a $15 minimum wage and holding corporations accountable for the basic treatment of the American people," he said. "We need to look at our entire tax system, beginning with Build Back Better."

Blumenthal was introduced as a "special surprise guest" by Lisa Bergmann, who after his speech said, "If you are not already part of the Communist Party, we invite you to participate and contribute and join," according to The Washington Free Beacon. 

Ben McManus, the emcee of the event, also invited the audience of the awards ceremony to "join the Communist Party in this epic time as we make good trouble to uproot systemic racism, retool the war economy, tax the rich, address climate change, secure voting rights and create a new socialist system that puts people, peace and planet before profits," the Free Beacon also reports.