Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) made an appearance over the weekend at an award show hosted by the Connecticut People's World Committee, a political advocacy organization affiliated with the Communist Party.
Blumenthal appeared at the CPWC Amistad Awards on Saturday to hand out special recognition certificates from the U.S. Senate to three individuals, as seen in a video from the event posted on Facebook.
CPWC, an affiliate of the Communist Party USA and the Marxist People’s World news site, hosted the ceremony on the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party USA, according to the Yankee Institute, a Connecticut think tank that first reported the event.
"We invite you 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," emcee Ben McManus told the audience during the event.
Blumenthal, who was introduced at the event by Communist Party member Lisa Bergmannas as a "special surprise guest," said that he was present to "honor the great tradition of activism and standing up for individual workers" that the three award recipients exemplified.
He also pushed President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda during his remarks at the event.
"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. We need to look at our entire tax system, beginning with Build Back Better," Blumenthal said.
The senator slammed the filibuster as well, describing it as a move that "has been misused by Republicans again and again and again."
Blumenthal, reportedly one of the wealthiest U.S. senators, is believed to have a personal fortune of close to $100 million. His investments include a real estate development company connected to the Chinese government.
U.S. Shanghai LLC., which is listed on his annual financial disclosure, is an investment that Blumenthal himself denied knowing about earlier this year, The Washington Free Beacon reported.