Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren Had a Few Strong Words for an Anti-LGBT Human Rights Commission Member
Democratic U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California took issue with a statement placed in the record from an anti-LGBT witness testifying before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday. Saying she could not let the testimony go without denouncing it, Rep. Lofgren proceeded to read it aloud.
“If I believe that I am a Russian princess, that doesn’t make me a Russian princess, even if my friends and acquaintances are willing to indulge my fantasy. Nor am I a Great Horned Owl just because — as I have been told — I happen to share some personality traits with those feathered creatures,” Gail Heriot, who happens to be a member of the United States Commission on Human Rights, wrote in her testimony.
“I’ve got to say, I found this rather offensive,” Lofgren announced, after reading Heriot’s statement. “It says to me that the witness really doesn’t know anything and probably has never met a transgender child who is going through, in almost every case, a very difficult experience finding themselves.”
Heriot, who was sitting and prepared to deliver oral testimony, interjected, demanding to be heard. Rep. Lofgren refused, and when Heriot challenged her, responded, “I think you’re a bigot, lady. I think you are an ignorant bigot.”
As Talking Points Memo notes, Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who was in charge of the proceedings, told Lofgren she was “out of order.”
“Mr. Chairman, it is my time, and I would just like to say that we allow witnesses to say offensive things, but I cannot allow that kind of bigotry to go into the record unchallenged,” Lofgren responded.
“Does that mean you think I am a Russian princess?,” Heriot quipped.
“I have no idea,” Lofgren replied.
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Hat tip:Â Huffington Post