Rep. Ralph Norman jokes about Ruth Bader Ginsburg being "fumbled" by Abe Lincoln

Sexual assault charges uprooted Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearings and provoked outrage, but this did not stop a US congressional member from joking about this issue when of a recent debate.

Representative Ralph Norman, RS.C, took advantage of his opening remarks during a debate Thursday for the 5th Congressional District of South Carolina to make a joke about the judge of the court Supreme Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"Did not we hear the latest news from Kavanaugh's auditions? Ruth Bader Ginsburg is out[saying[That's Abraham Lincoln's groped, he says, laughing and applauding.

Norman, who was approved by President Donald Trump, then defended his remarks on Twitter, claiming that they were "intended to add a little lightness to a very serious debate between me and my Democratic opponent and bring out Washington, DC, became ".

"People really need to learn to be enlightened," writes Norman, 65, in a series of three tweets: "Obviously, my opponent understood this because we engaged in a substantive discussion on the many differences comments.

"Once again, the Democrats and the media have taken an event worthy of note for so many substantial reasons and they only add clowns and distractions to the current circus," he wrote.

Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call, Inc. / Getty Images

Norman's opponent, Archie Parnell, criticized the joke later on Twitter, making a leap about how Norman had pulled out his loaded handgun at a campaign event while arguing the safety of weapons.

(According to The Post and Courier, Norman said at this event, "I'm not going to be a Gabby Giffords," referring to the former Arizona congressman who was shot in 2011 at a meet with voters in a supermarket.)

Norman retaliated by hinting at Parnell's history of spousal abuse.

The Post and Courier reported in May that Parnell had beaten his ex-wife in the 1970s, which Parnell has confirmed.

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"Forty-five years ago, while I was still a student, I did something that I regretted every day since," Parnell said in a statement, according to the newspaper. and became violent with other people, including my ex-wife, which led to a divorce and a monumental change in my life.

"These actions were inexcusable, false and downright embarrassing."