All articles tagged with #lawmaker
Thousands gathered at the Minnesota Capitol to honor slain lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, with a special tribute including the ashes of their beloved dog, Gilbert, who was laid in state alongside them.
Following recent electoral setbacks, a relatively obscure lawmaker has expressed interest in taking on a leadership role within the Democratic Party, aiming to guide it through its current challenges and towards future successes.
Colorado state Rep. Don Wilson apologized for leaving a loaded handgun in a state Capitol bathroom, which was discovered by a janitor and later returned to him by the State Patrol. House leadership criticized his handling of the weapon, calling it a "dangerous situation." This incident is not the first involving lawmakers and firearms in the Capitol, prompting calls for stricter adherence to firearm rules.
A second UK Conservative Party lawmaker has come forward claiming to have been targeted in a honey trap sexting scandal, following the resignation of a fellow Tory MP who admitted to sending explicit messages to a purported female party activist. The scandal has raised concerns about potential security risks and blackmail, prompting calls for an investigation into the matter.
Nebraska state Sen. Steve Halloran was reprimanded for violating the Legislature’s sexual harassment policy by invoking a colleague's name while reading a graphic account of rape on the floor. The report found his conduct reprehensible, but the decision not to put a censure vote before the full Legislature was met with criticism. Halloran insisted he was trying to get the colleague's attention, while some lawmakers called for his resignation and criticized those who defended him. Plans for a rule change to allow lawmakers more time to object to objectionable language were also discussed.
A GOP lawmaker voted against the government funding bill and outlined what he would have done instead.
Nebraska State Senator Steve Halloran incited outrage and calls for his resignation after reading a graphic rape scene from the book "Lucky" on the floor of the Capitol, interjecting the names of two Democratic colleagues into the text during a debate about legislation on school book content restrictions. The move was criticized as unnecessary harassment and led to an emotional response from one of the Democrats, Machaela Cavanaugh, who accused Halloran of cruelty and lacking understanding of the impact of sexual violence on women.
Arizona State Senator Eva Burch made headlines after announcing her intention to terminate her pregnancy during a floor speech, sparking a conversation about reproductive rights and personal choices in the political arena.
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears referred to transgender lawmaker Sen. Danica Roem as "sir" during a session, prompting Roem to storm out of the Senate chamber in protest. Sears later offered an apology for upsetting Roem, emphasizing the importance of treating everyone with respect and dignity.
Indiana lawmaker Jim Lucas showed a holstered gun to high school students advocating for gun control at the state Capitol, prompting fear and unease among the students. The video of the interaction shows Lucas defending gun rights and referencing the need for self-defense, before revealing his holstered handgun. The students felt unheard and powerless after the encounter, with one student expressing feeling scared and alone. Lucas, a prominent supporter of loosening gun laws, has faced controversy in the past for his views and social media posts.
An Australian TV news channel, 9News Melbourne, faced backlash for editing a photo of lawmaker Georgie Purcell, making her outfit more revealing and enlarging her chest. The channel apologized for the "graphic error," but Purcell criticized the incident, stating that it made her a target for sexist abuse online. She emphasized that such mistakes would not happen to male colleagues and called for learning from the incident to prevent deterring women and girls from achieving their dreams.
An Australian news channel issued an apology after airing an edited image of female lawmaker Georgie Purcell, which enlarged her breasts and exposed her midriff, following her criticism of the local government's rejection of a ban on duck hunting. Purcell expressed her dismay at the sexist editing, highlighting the impact on body image and the broader treatment of women. The news director attributed the error to Photoshop automation and issued a sincere apology, which Purcell accepted, emphasizing the need to learn from the incident. She emphasized the importance of her work and urged the focus to remain on her efforts in public life.
A South Korean governing party lawmaker, Bae Hyun-jin, was attacked by an unidentified man with a rock, sustaining minor head injuries. The attack comes amid heightened concerns about the country's polarized politics, following a recent stabbing of an opposition leader. The motive of the attack is unclear, and the suspect, reportedly a 15-year-old, has been arrested. Politicians and officials have condemned the attack as an act of "political terrorism" and called for a thorough investigation and stern punishment for the attacker.
South Korean ruling party lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin was attacked in Seoul's Gangnam district, suffering head injuries after being hit with a rock by an assailant who asked if she was Bae before attacking her. The attacker, reportedly claiming to be 15 years old, was arrested at the scene. This is the second attack on politicians this month ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, with the presidential office calling for a strict investigation and wishing Bae a fast recovery.
Kentucky state lawmaker and former Survivor winner Nick Wilson introduced a bill that unintentionally omitted first cousins from the list of unlawful incestuous relationships, sparking backlash and criticism. Wilson quickly reversed course, withdrew the measure, and refiled it with the necessary language intact. The reintroduced bill also adds "sexual contact" to the definition of incest and includes incest in the violent offender statute. Wilson expressed hope that the scrutiny he faced would raise awareness about sexual abuse within family homes and emphasized the importance of combating familial and cyclical abuse.