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South Carolina Republican MP Ralph Norman unveiled the current tragedy surrounding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday as he began an electoral debate by joking that another judge had been charged with assault. sexual.
"Have you heard this latest news from Kavanaugh's auditions?" said Norman R-Rock Hill during a debate at the Kiwanis club. "Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out, she was seduced by Abraham Lincoln."
The off-color remark comes as Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's nominee for a lifetime appointment to the country's highest court, remains embroiled in the scandal after a woman accused him of looting. sexually assaulted at age 17.
Kavanaugh has vigorously denied the claims of California professor Christine Blasey Ford.
Norman's line seemed to elicit some laughter and applause from the Rock Hill Kiwanis club's public, but it immediately aroused the condemnation of the Democrats of South Carolina and many others on social media.
"Ralph Norman has just proved that he may be rich, but he does not have a class," tweeted the President of the Democratic Party of Canada, Trav Robertson. "Inappropriate does not describe his remarks."
Jaime Harrison, associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee and Robertson's predecessor in South Carolina, has presented similar criticisms.
"So now, the sexual assault is a punch for a stupid joke!" Harrison tweeted. "Disgusting but coming from Norman … waited!"
Norman responded later Thursday on Twitter, saying the comments were "supposed to add a little lightness to a very serious debate" and "indicate the circus atmosphere Washington DC has become".
"People really have to learn to light up," Norman said. "Clearly, my opponent has understood this well, as we have engaged in a substantive discussion over the next hour about our many differences without mentioning my comments. "
The debate at the Kiwanis club was one of the first opportunities for Norman to face off again against his opponent of the 2017 special elections, Sumter Democrat Archie Parnell, who is trying his second place against Norman in November.
Parnell was haunted by his own past dealings with women during the campaign after The Post and Courier revealed 1973 divorce cases indicating that he had violently beaten his wife.
Unlike Kavanaugh, Parnell did not deny the allegation, but he insisted that he became a changed man for decades. Despite calls from leading Democrats to abandon the race, Parnell stayed and easily won the 5th congressional district primary in June.
Norman has long been proud to be a cheeky conservative and known to spark controversy. In April, he released his loaded pistol at a meeting with voters to try to make it clear that guns are only dangerous in the hands of criminals.
Although Parnell did not immediately respond to Norman's remark on the scene, he then slammed his opponent in a statement.
"My opponent apparently thinks that sexual assault is a joke.This is not the case," said Parnell. "But I guess it's the best we can expect from someone who fired a gun on his own constituents."
Drew McKissick, president of S.C. GOP, defended Norman, saying the joke did not really concern sexual assault.
"The joke is that of the Democrats who are running the same old collection of last-minute attacks on the Conservatives, while supporting a congressional candidate who has actually committed aggression against a woman," McKissick said.
Norman hinted at Parnell's story in another tweet on Thursday, in response to criticism from the Democratic challenger.
"Maybe we should discuss your own abuse and harassment of women, Parnell," Norman said.
Electoral analysts first saw the 5th district of South Carolina, which extends from Rock Hill to Sumter, as an opportunity for democratic recovery. But most do not expect it to be competitive because of the emergence of the history of domestic violence in Parnell and the loss of support from the Democratic establishment.
A researcher at Media Matters for America, a progressive non-profit organization, pointed out that right-wing social media users same circulating these last days with the same concept as Norman's joke.
The national organization Kiwanis also distanced himself from Norman's comments in a statement after the debate.
"Kiwanis clubs exist to help children," the group said on Twitter. "One way to help is to understand the positions of the candidates on relevant issues, many Kiwanis clubs organize open forums like this for political candidates, and statements like that of Rep. Ralph Norman do not reflect the objects of the candidates. Kiwanis. "
Follow Jamie Lovegrove on Twitter @jslovegrove.
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