Sanders supporter who gave middle finger kicked out of Hawaii delegation
C-SPAN
In a photo edited for content, Chelsea Lyons Kent, a Hawaii Sanders delegate, flipped a middle finger on national television during Hawaii’s roll call of delegates.
A member of Hawaii’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia has been kicked out of the group after she was caught on national television on Tuesday giving the middle finger as U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz announced Hawaii’s delegate counts for Hillary Clinton.
Hawaii Democratic Party Chair Tim Vandeveer said he tried to give the Bernie Sanders supporter another chance by having her apologize, but Chelsea Lyons Kent refused.
“She was unwilling to do so,” he said in a press release. “Therefore, her floor credentials have been revoked for the duration of (the) convention and she will no longer be a part of our delegation.”
Vandeveer said that Kent’s gesture was “inappropriate and not in keeping with the conduct becoming of a national delegate or member of the Democratic Party.”
“Delegates of both campaigns have expressed their shock and disappointment at the incident and have asked me to stress that this in no way reflects the sentiments of the rest of our delegation, regardless of their candidate affiliation,” he said.
The Democratic Convention has been roiled by protests from Sanders supporters, who booed when the unsuccessful presidential contender praised Clinton during a speech on Monday. On Tuesday, Sanders supporters walked out of the convention hall in protest after Sanders officially lost the nomination.
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Hawaii has been a hotbed for Sanders supporters. Sanders, who was backed by U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, achieved a landslide victory in Hawaii during the Democratic preference poll in March, winning 70 percent of the vote to Clinton’s 30 percent. On Tuesday, Sanders received 19 delegate votes to Clinton’s 15.
Kent was one of the lead volunteer organizers in Hawaii for Sanders.
In a May editorial in the Star-Advertiser in anticipation of the local Democratic convention, she questioned whether the party establishment would make room for the new crop of progressive Sanders supporters.
“Will the party regulars make room at the table for the new Bernie members? Can we build a party of inclusion that fights for change?” she wrote. “Can we recognize our differences, while still working together on those goals we do share? Will we be a party of inclusion or exclusion?”
The reaction to Kent’s gesture on Facebook was mixed.
“I see this photo as iconic … the perfect capturing of an historic, political moment,” Robin Founder wrote on Kent’s Facebook page. “You are smart, you know corruption is real and you said (expletive) to it.”
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143 responses to “Sanders supporter who gave middle finger kicked out of Hawaii delegation”
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lol, geez. She wasn’t PC about it and stated/motioned her true feelings! Guess if she LIED like Lying Hillary apologizing for something she doesn’t believe in(lying to herself) she’d still be in with Brian Shotz! The Democratic Party is FIXED! CRooked Party
Where it is fixed or crooked you need to professional about it shows low class and a bad rep for Saunders and the state of Hawaii
Agreed. She’d get better long term results if she’d be professional about it and worked the issues with and through her party. There was an opportunity but now there is a barrier.
She embarrassed Bernie Sanders.
The DNC embarrassed Bernie.. Big Time.
True Sanders supporters are smart people how did she get in? Where does she work so I don’t go there. Reacts like a Trump supporter.
How about she embarrassed the State of Hawaii! She is a looser.
Yeah. We can’t have too many loosers.
Video of Chelsea Lyons Kent at DNC!
Click on “Video of Chelsea Lyons Kent at DNC” if you haven’t seen the video of what she did. To my eye, it looks like she planned on doing it.
DNC WHAT A DISGRACE
Sorry I didn’t see anything.
ok let’s be clear about this..it’s Crooked Lying hiLIARy ROTTEN clinton.
chelsea kent shows what dems/libs do when they disagree..it’s in their genes. Look at the hacked emails..from ROTTEN hiLIARy’s DNC telling the MEDIA what they can print/say to using racial slurs…no big thing here.
If Hilliary wasn’t extremely careless her emails would not have been hacked. Why blame Trump.
Hillary’s emails weren’t hacked. Get your facts straight.
lespark, you misread the article–again. READ it again, then come back and say “Oops, my mistake, Hillary’s emails were not hacked.” People here will respect you for that.
Oops, my mistake, Hillary’s emails were not hacked.
Keonigohan, thank god Trump is asking the Russians for help. Your man hard at work. By the way he won’t say what his foreign policies are says he wants to keep it a secret.
Why pick on her. If The Donald did it, he would get away with it.
Her boyfriend called it her “stinky” finger,wink,wink..
So the boss likes the finger up there huh buddy?
The girl is probably a TRUMP Supporter now, so who cares they can have her silly little gesture and take Tulsi with her. To bad for Hawaii another Haole makes ‘A” and the locals get blamed.
You got it DAWG, I wonder where she is right now, probably at the Trump International here in Hawaii with Tulsi, planning their next Dum A-hole move, I would probably guess they are switching parties right now.
Too funny
yeah and the repubs are racist right?
Yeah and after I saw Tulsi at the convention, it made me even more happier that I didn’t vote for her. I mailed in my ballot already.
She did a great job although Bernie just caved in. He now supports everything that he was against. What kind of Socialist is that?
Bernie Sanders and the American people got screwed by the DNC, Hawaii’s super delegates ignored the will of 70% of their membership.
The finger gal is selfish and lazy: If she does not like the mainstream Democratic Party she should work to make it more progressive and less neo-liberal.
Obviously a classless T * W – A * T
wow, look who is talking about inappropriate public remarks!
the finger gal is fine she should come over to the democratic- republican party.
I’m with Sarah Silverman when it comes to the whiney Bernie-or-Bust children: “you’re being ridiculous”. Time to grow up and use your words rather than your fingers.
SHAME…I hope she doesn’t have kids.
Have you seen today’s kids? I hope she has kids that express their real feelings.
No class. If you don’t have the votes except defeat graciously like hoe Bernie Sanders did.
This lady has no forefinger. She was saying Hillary is #1.
lespark LOL
lespark, this is no laughing matter, but your comment , “This lady ha no forefinger. She was saying Hillary is #1.” takes the #1 laughter of the day! Golly, feeling bad for laughing out loud – no can help – so funny!!
Outrageously funny. Hawaii delegation should tell the nation about the shaka sign joke where da Pordagee wen lose this 3 middle fingers.
I believe the word is “accept” not except….LOL!
Ssh! Blunt, no joke about people. Some are very sensitive about it! ….and Poipounder808, we locals can easily understand good intentions and most of us no care of misspelled or errors but nice of you to point it out without insulting remarks. Or make the person feel bad! You guys have sense of humor which seems to be lacking these days! Have a good day. You too lespark, still get one smile on my face of “Hillary is #1” comment!:)
Well! She’s the type that will give you the finger after committing a traffic violation by cutting in. If you blow your horn , she will give it to you for sure. She loves to wiggle her middle finger for every thing, including ……?
http://www.staradvertiser.com/editorial/fate-of-hawaii-democratic-party-in-the-balance-this-weekend/
Chelsea Lyons Kent should go back to Texas where she’s from. Actions like hers do not belong in politics, no matter what the disagreement, especially when it comes to representing Hawaii. I feel badly for Tim Vandeveer, who, as the Hawaii Dem Chair, is trying to bring the Bernie and Hillary folks together in Hawaii. And for the most part, they are united. But all it takes is one attention-mongering, unrepentant idiot who was flown here, not grown here, to make the state look bad.
agree..it was uncalled for and reflects badly on Sanders and his followers. On the whole, Sanders has been loyal to the party but many of his supporters are really unrealistic and disappointing.
It’s Sanders who is unrealistic and disappointing.
Agree. Growing up in Hawaii, you learn “respect” is what makes you get along with people from all walks of life. She demonstrated no respect, especially knowing she was on national TV.
She’s not even from Hawaii but a Texas transplant..which is a invasive species to Hawaii.
According to blogger Ian Lind, so is our Hawaii Dem party chair Tim Vandeveer!
Just like Brian Schatz
Yup, an immigrant from the Land of Cal.
OMG, go home and do that in your State of Texas!
The right thing to do. Her behavior is no better than the Donald. No need for that kind of nastiness in the democratic party. Go high!
“Her behavior is no better than the Donald.”…you ok?
No compare. Trump SAID the “f” word before tv cameras and his adoring Trumpettes. No ramifications happened to him. Shame they pick on an avid Bernie supporter.
She took money from at least 80 people – among the names, I saw Susan Sarandon’s – through her “Fund Me” website to pay for her trip to Philly. She ought to send them all a photo postcard as a way of thanks.
Anyone seen her Facebook page!?!
Something is totally wrong with this person! How did this slip by the Hawaii Democratic delegation review process and have her represent Hawaii!?!
Facebook Quote: I am totally awesome. My kids are totally awesome. My husband is totally awesome. I can fly. I can do anything better than you. I am super nice if I like you. If I don’t like you I’ll kick your ass. I see dead people
mental health issues
Humble – NOT! She says she can fly, well den fly back to Texas…….
Haole or otherwise; attitudes like hers are polluting Hawaii nei.
Make A.
She is a sad, prime example of why Bernie lost. People like her and the Bernie Bros brought — and let — Bernie down. When you can’t be an intelligent, classy supporter of your candidate and ideals, your candidate never had a real shot. Obnoxious attitudes and indignation don’t win over majorities of voters. People like her are all about their own ego, not about the actual progressive change of society, and the rest of society sees right through them.
The rest of society sees right through lying crooked Hillary and the PC BS. It’s the grass roots salute to establishment.
Always the fly in how lee that make Hawaii look bad. Especially from TeXass. Should have go in the Texas section. Use welfare GOFUNDME for a plane ride. Howard Lee.
Yeah, ALWAYS. NOT.
Not to worry, no one pays attention to the lightweights..
Simply no class.
Chelsea Kent…as a Proud Democrat I would like to ask you to please show not just some but a lot of CLASS …
I beg to differ with the photo; looks like she’s saying, “USA numba #1!”
The point is she made Hawaii look bad and showed what an idiot she is!
She’s from Kaulapapa.Shaka.
don’t insult the people of kalaupapa
Agree!
You guys are right. I apologize.
If you don’t really mean it why say it?
Yeah, you’re sorry alright.
les park, that’s why you and Trump and some other’s on this site fit right in with his mentality.
Doesn’t matter where she is from or who she supports. The Party Chair made a good decision.
Agreed. Had to have been difficult for him, having ridden in on the Sanders wave himself, but he made the right call, did the right thing.
Yep, the party chair handled it property. He is a Sanders support as well and the fact that he handled this property rather than giving a fellow Sanders supporter a pass on some inappropriate behavior is a good sign.
Ditto.
i missed the property sale. Was it a foreclosure on a Trump property?
How funny, she wants to be included in the party but flips them off when she doesn’t get what she wants. Or really, how pathetic.
Hawaii super delegates that don’t represent the peoples’ vote should be kicked out.
Especially the two front and center.
Yep, she and those like her (and there are plenty) are just poison. They came striding in with no experience, knowledge, or background and immediately wanted to be in charge. Their attitudes of “if I don’t get what I want, I’ll just spoil it for everyone else” is shameful. I’m glad this got exposed, but saddened that it had to be reflective of Hawaii on the national stage.
Hupo o na hupo!
lol
How an you forget her silly looking face…make sure to drop in on her at canoes.
I bet she makes her family proud. Everyone knows your name and knows your face. SHAME…
Thank you,Hawaii delegation and leaders, for appropriately addressing this.
Too little, too late.
What a selfish, childish act! She embarrassed herself, the Sanders supporters and all of us in Hawaii!
Her parents must be real proud to raise this “child.”
Stay classy, Bernie Bros.
Just looking at the picture says it all, it is the “hey look at me” attitude. Shallow … very shallow.
Shows us that this is the Party of we don’t care what you voted for. We are the Party leaders and will do what we want. You will do as your told!
for real, girl, you so low class. your handsome partner was proudly making the shaka sign and you smilingly shot the bird checking out your pathetic self in the camera. you don’t deserve to represent.
Real Hawaii folks have a lot of class and Aloha, not the “I just moved here so let me tell you what you’re doing wrong” mentality. So typical, go back to the mainland where you belong. You just reinforced how people view the Sanders’ supporters and you just made people in Hawaii look like a bunch of donkeys. Please go back. Hawaii has enough people trying to pretend they belong.
I agree… she makes us look futless…. LOLOL
What a class act! I’m sure you made your family very proud of your mature action. Goes to show you, just because you occupy space in Hawaii doesn’t mean you live with the Aloha Spirit. Shame on you Chelsea! How embarrassing for Hawaii.
The DNC is in disarry. Just another reason to vote for Donald Trump
There is no reason in the world to vote for D.T. wake up fool.
Sarge is not taking his meds. Bernie endorsed Hillary, called on his supporters to unify. Chump has Ted Cruz refusing to endorse, a whole host of Republicans staying home from their convention, plagiarism, and now asking Russia for help, Come on Sarge get a grip on reality. The RNC is the mess.
Sarge, I’m with you. 2 votes for Trump, 2 votes for Crooked Hillary. It’s a tie. Ok, we can all stay home.
Another good day at the ranch. Even old Uncle Joe is telling fibs. Obama said he picked HiLIARy up. I’d like to see that.
sarge22 — your IQ?
Ok, now is time to give a few other politicians the finger.
Childish act of a person who is compulsively challenged. I wonder if she has an employer?
Looks like a real lack of respect for her brothers and sisters in the Democratic party.
She got her message out there!
Every Democratic delegate from the state of Hawaii who voted for Rotten Clinton basically give the middle finger to their constituents and Hawaii as the people of Hawaii Democratic Caucus overwhelmingly voted for Sanders.
All she had to do was apologize to help make things right. The saddest part is she probably doesn’t think she did anything wrong and therefore refused to apologize.
Yes, such an immature and thoughtless thing to do. She doesn’t realize that this will probably come back to bite her in the arse. I feel very sorry for this poor little girl.
“Will the party regulars make room at the table for the new Bernie members? Can we build a party of inclusion that fights for change?” she wrote. “Can we recognize our differences, while still working together on those goals we do share? Will we be a party of inclusion or exclusion?”
Sounds like inclusion only includes the “Feel the Bern” crowd… stay classy, Ms. Kent, stay classy…
The middle finger is a weapon.
Tacky tacky tacky. Stupid. Un-cool. Wasteful. Lacking aloha. Pathetic.
To the rest of the delegation, no matter your candidate preference, thank you.
Well, that finger’s frozen in time, right next to her face where it belongs. Forever.
this gal has no class; rightfully she was kicked out. we don’t need such immature and childish behavior and she should never again be appointed a delegate. it is so embarrassing for Hawaii.
LOL, I feel even more LOL at all the people who donated money for her trip! And she wanted $4.5k for the trip…..1st class accommodations?
That wasn’t the Aloha that Gabbard was talking about on National TV. Gabbard needs to have a talk with that lady that it wasn’t good for Sanders supporters and for the State.
People need to watch what they say or do now days with camera’s all over the place.
An embarrassment to our state.
Why should she be given a second chance – she showed how classless she is and her behavior reflects on all of us in the Aloha State! Send her back to Texas without her gofundme money!!
What an embarrassment to Hawaii, immaturity & acting like a spoil brat. Luckily for her, God does forgive stupidity.
Tea Party Democrat style. Following like Cruz/Trump.
The democratic process is about compromise. People who don’t believe that are autocrats. They should move to somewhere like China and good luck with which side you end up on. That said, everyone’s behavior is more than about themselves. They represent family, community, ethnic group, state, associates, where they work. Doing immature acts reflects poorly on all of those other people. If more people realized this there would be far less problems in the world. It’s called responsibility.
She is from Texas. Go away!
our democratic party are a bunch of sleeze balls –
I don’t care if you’re a Clinton or a Sanders supporter but that kind of irresponsible behavior is uncalled for and certainly put a black mark on the Hawaii delegation and if I was part of that delegation, I would have given this IDIOT a piece of my mind……no excuse for this behavior and on national television, also…..that kind of behavior can certainly influence me to just vote for Clinton but that is not the issue here…just feeling disgusted watching that wahine’s behavior makes me sick……
There is no excuse for that kind of irresponsible and juvenile behavior and what makes it worse is that it was on national t.v. She should be castigated and banned from any political activity and I would hope that someone in the Hawaii delegation has the fortitude to ‘GIVE HER A PIECE OF THEIR MIND” for her lack of professional decorum representing Sanders and the State of Hawaii.
Hillary supporters are in denial~
And shame on the SA for giving this shameless opportunist very expensive publicity for her five star bullying and temper tantrums. As to making room at the table we longtime Demcrats HAVE made room for Sanders supporters, just not for spoiled brats who have fits when they don’t get their way and paint anyone who doesn’t agree with them as “corrupt”. I’m done with the self-entitled purists in the Bernie camp. They booed Bernie himself! So much for reasoned discourse. So much for the spirit of Aloha. Get the H out!
I’m not gonna say it was a classy thing to do. It wasn’t nice and it brought unwanted attention on the entire delegation.
That said, time will tell if it was an appropriate response to DWS’s clearly inappropriate hijacking of the DNC to serve as an ersatz Clinton campaign committee. Now that DWS is history (hopefully in Florida too!) let’s see if the DNC cleans up its act and returns to its necessary neutrality.
Maybe neutrality is NOT a good thing. Doubt kooky Sanders could defeat Trump. Maybe it would have been better for the Repubs to have a similar type of super delegate structure that could have prevented Trump from becoming the Repub nominee and instead nominate someone like Kasich instead? Regarding this Sanders supporter who stuck her middle finger behind Shatz and Hirono on national TV, she embarassed the entire State of Hawaii. She is not a true Hawaii resident and hope she leaves Hawaii as soon as possible. She is a failure to Hawaii similar to how Watada refused to deploy for military service.
Actually, after living here in the great state of Texas for nearly ten years I was under the impression that the middle finger is used to say, “howdy.”
I could be mistaken. yeeehaa!!
Ms. Kent’s obscene gesture was tacky and inappropriate. She deserved to be put out of the Hawaii delegation. She was and is an embarrassment to our state.
BTW, I am a “haole” and a transplant. Many of us do exhibit the aloha spirot.
typical
Has anyone looked at her FB page? Her lack of class goes deep. She’s been in Hawaii just over a year. Previously Florida and Texas. I think this tells you all you need to know. Chelsea, go back home.
This was copied and pasted directly from her profile. No edits.
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About Chelsea Lyons Kent
Work
Edgewood Bakery
USCB Administrator · July 2013 to February 2015 · Jacksonville, Florida
Women for Bernie Sanders 2016
Education
The Derek Zoolander Center For Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Want
Aug 7, 1986 to May 15, 2004 · Proper Uses of Scotch Tape · Jacksonville, Florida
Current City and Hometown
Honolulu, Hawaii
Current city since March 17, 2015
Dallas, Texas
Hometown
About Chelsea
I am totally awesome. My kids are totally awesome. My husband is totally awesome. I can fly. I can do anything better than you. I am super nice if I like you. If I don’t like you I’ll kick your ass. I see dead people.
Nobody wanted her in Florida and Texas. We don’t want you in Hawaii. Three strikes, you’re OUT…
A classless act by a classless person
she doesn’t look frustrated, go back to Dallas, the photo speaks for its self.