Democratic senator says he would not have gone to event if he had known about Communist Party link: report

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said he would have not gone to an event in Connecticut if he had known it was linked to the Communist Party in an interview with the Hartford Courant.

On Dec. 11, Blumenthal spoke at the annual Amistad Awards ceremony hosted by the Connecticut People's World Committee, which is associated with the Communist Party USA.

"My understanding was that this ceremony was strictly a labor event," Blumenthal told the outlet Friday. "If I had known the details, I wouldn't have gone. ... Let me just say very emphatically, I'm a Democrat and a strong believer in American capitalism. I have been consistently a Democrat and a strong supporter and believer in American capitalism."

Blumenthal's comments come after he received criticism from a number of Republicans, including the Connecticut GOP, because of the event's association with the Communist Party.

"People are going to do what they're going to do. I'm just going to keep doing my job for the people of Connecticut. There's a lot at stake in the Senate right now - voting rights, the ongoing pandemic, making childcare affordable, lowering prescription drug prices. That's where my focus is," Blumenthal said in response to the criticism, per the Courant.

According to the newspaper, Blumenthal spoke for roughly seven minutes at the event, praising the . Three of his friends were reportedly honored during the ceremony.

"I go to a lot of events, places, meetings, rallies, and ceremonies in Connecticut. I'm delighted to be invited anywhere, and in this instance, I was invited by local labor unions to honor these three individuals, and that's why I was there. That's pretty much it," Blumenthal said, according to the Courant.