Virginia GOP lawmaker blasts elderly woman over Medicaid expansion: 'You are the problem'

A Republican Virginia lawmaker accused an elderly constituent of intellectual laziness after she urged him via email to support the expansion of the state's Medicaid program, the Loudoun Times-Mirror reported on Tuesday.

"How intellectually lazy are you?" state Delegate Tag Greason (R) [pictured above, at left] wrote Susan Merk as part of a series of emails between the two. "You are the problem. Good luck to you. You can not insult your way to 'victory.' If you are not willing to have a civil discussion, please do not write me again. It is a waste of my time."

Greason's remarks were the culmination of a contentious correspndence. Merk, a resident at a retirement community in Loudoun County, wrote Greason on March 24 saying it was "imperative" that lawmakers vote to support the state program under the Affordable Care Act. But Merk took issue with Greason's response, in which he opposed such a move because the law "as already proven to be inefficient, costly, and an utter disaster."

"This reply is pitiful -- it's nothing but partisan rhetoric, false accusations and invalid excuses," Merk wrote back. "I will be sure to vote you out the next time you're up for election."

Greason's ensuing response took a more aggressive tone towards Merk.

"Pitiful because I am willing to enter a dialogue with you?" he wrote. "All you liberals are the same. As soon as someone doesn't agree with you, you shut down communication, call the other side names, take your ball and go home. I understand and am saddened by this approach at the federal level ... but your reaction below is THE problem. I did not have to write you back ... but I did. I think discussing differences is the only way to solve problems."

On Monday, Greason told the Times-Mirror that he "must have been having a bad day" when he wrote his latest response to Merk.

"When one is passionate about his or her role, he can get carried away," he was quoted as saying. "Clearly I overstepped with Ms. Merk and for that I am truly sorry. I should have known better than to shoot back at Ms. Merk, it was wrong and I apologize for that."

For her part, Merk ripped Greason for his "unprofessional" response.

"I shouldn't write to him again because I am wasting his time?" she told the Times-Mirror. "How many emails do you think he gets per day from people who disagree with him just like I did? It's his job to listen to the people he represents."

[Image via Del. Tag Greasonofficial Flickr page]