Republican Rep Apologizes After Telling Top Democrat To ‘Kiss My A**’
'Had a black man poked a white woman... what you think would have happened'
Rep. Hal Rogers apologizes after Rep. Joyce Beatty accuses him of telling her, 'kiss my a**'
Republican Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky says that he apologized to Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio on Tuesday.
Beatty, who serves as the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, had accused Rogers of poking her and telling her to "kiss my ass."
"This afternoon, I met with @RepBeatty to personally apologize. My words were not acceptable and I expressed my regret to her, first and foremost," Rogers tweeted.
Rogers is a veteran lawmaker who has been in office for more than 40 years.
This afternoon, I met with @RepBeatty to personally apologize. My words were not acceptable and I expressed my regret to her, first and foremost.— Hal Rogers (@Hal Rogers) 1644363053
Rogers was not wearing a mask when he boarded an elevator, according to the Associated Press — Beatty told the outlet during an interview that Rogers begrudgingly complied after she asked him to don a mask. The AP said that the lawmakers met again when entering a train, and Beatty again asked Rogers to wear a mask.
"Today, while heading to the House floor for votes, I respectfully asked my colleague @RepHalRogers to put on a mask while boarding the train. He then poked my back, demanding I get on the train. When I asked him not to touch me, he responded, 'kiss my ass,'" Beatty tweeted. "@RepHalRogers, when you are ready to grow up and apologize for your behavior, you know where to find me," she said in another tweet.
Today, while heading to the House floor for votes, I respectfully asked my colleague @RepHalRogers to put on a mask while boarding the train. He then poked my back, demanding I get on the train. When I asked him not to touch me, he responded, \u201ckiss my ass.\u201d (1/3)— Joyce Beatty (@Joyce Beatty) 1644350292
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus held a press conference on Tuesday, and lawmakers condemned Rogers for the behavior Beatty had described. "I will not give Hal Rogers a pass," Democratic Rep. Val Demings of Florida said. She described the Republican's behavior as "racist" and decried it as "totally unacceptable."
Rep Val Demings (D-FL)pic.twitter.com/VGWFH3SMm3— Scott MacFarlane (@Scott MacFarlane) 1644357969
House Ethics Committee drops metal detector fines for No. 3 Dem and one GOP rep
The House Ethics Committee has dropped the hefty $5,000 fines imposed against No. 3 Democrat Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) and Kentucky Republican Rep. Harold Rogers (Ky.) for allegedly skirting past metal detectors while entering the chamber, after both men disputed the accounts made by Capitol Police.
What are the details?
The committee revealed Thursday that the appeals of Clyburn, 80, and Rogers, 83, would be granted and neither of the lawmakers would be charged, but the panel did not provide an explanation for the decision.
The Hill noted that the committee is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, thus the majority opinion "indicates that the decisions regarding Clyburn and Rogers were bipartisan."
The Associated Press reported that both veteran congressmen had filed one-page letters "disputing the accusations" against them as reported by Capitol Police.
The committee was not as forgiving when it came to two other Republicans previously fined.
Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) were the first to be hit with such fines in February, but their appeals were both denied by the committee. GOP members argued at the time that Pelosi was seen skirting security, too, but she was never fined.
The Washington Examiner pointed out that "Clyburn's situation is similar to Gohmert, who said he walked to the House floor through a metal detector from one entrance and exited the floor briefly to use the same Speaker's Lobby restroom."
Gohmert was charged $5,000, while Clyde was fined $15,000 for two offenses. The Georgia lawmaker "said he plans to take the matter to federal court," Roll Call reported.
What's the background?
Following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, new security checkpoints were set up outside the doors entering the House chamber. After pushback from GOP members, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) imposed a $5,000 fine for a first offense of dodging the metal detectors, and a $10,000 penalty for a second offense.
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