WASHINGTON -- An email sent out to some 2,000 Log Cabin Republican members and subscribers applauding what many have described as a racist and sexist slur has turned into an embarrassing flap for the organization, the Washington Post reports.
Referring to Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California, the group's Congressional Briefing, distributed last Wednesday, begins with the phrase, "Rhymes with Abercrombie and..."
The item references a dispute that erupted last week in California after Los Angeles Police Commission President Rick Caruso used the word "bitch" to describe the six-term lawmaker.
In a raucus meeting in Los Angeles last week, Rep. Waters called on Caruso to resign over his use of the derogatory term. "If it is all right for the Police Commission president to call a congresswoman a bitch, is it all right for police officers on the street to call women bitches?" Waters demanded to cheers of local residents.
Back in Washington, the LCR newsletter took a different take on the situation. "Okay, it's tacky to call a Congresswoman the b-word," it read, "but still, how many of you didn't immediately think of sending [Caruso] a thank you note...?"
Asked about the LCR's decision to cheer the remark, Waters told the Post: "I don't worry about those kinds of comments. I'm one of the biggest supporters of the rights of our gay citizens in this country be they Republicans or Democrats. They need people like me to fight for them when people in their own party are denigrating them."
Kevin Ivers denied that the remark was written by the group's executive director, Rich Tafel, who regularly contributes to the newsletter. "The staff has been told that in the future they need more careful about what is written in the newsletter," he is quoted as saying.
"I didn't take a poll, but it's obviously wrong to
use that kind of language."