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Republican senator told group of 30 schoolboys they could ‘have a lot of fun’ with female reporter
A MICHIGAN lawmaker says he’s sorry for humiliating a female journalist in the state’s chambers by telling her a group of high school boys "could have a lot of fun" with her.
State Sen Pete Lucido, a 59-year-old Republican from Macomb County’s Shelby Township, made the comments to a group of about 30 lads visiting from his all-boys alma mater.
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Reporter Allison Donahue, 22, said the remarks, made while she asked for an interview with the Republican politician, left her feeling "objectified and humiliated".
Writing about it in a first person article, Ms Donahue said Sen Lucido, the state’s senate majority whip, allegedly said: "You should hang around!
"You could have a lot of fun with these boys, or they could have a lot of fun with you."
The young reporter claimed the teenage boys burst into laughter and it was clear she had "been the punchline of their ‘locker room’ talk".
Ms Donahue added: "Except it wasn’t the locker room, it was the Senate chamber.
"And this isn’t high school. It’s my career."
The remarks, she wrote, were "belittling" and coming "from a place of power".
I was geeked up about the boys coming there
State Sen. Pete Lucido
After confronting him about the "unprofessional" remark, she said instead of apologizing, he rambled how awkward it was for him as a schoolboy when he "first met a woman".
Initially Lucido his comments were "blown out of proportion" and that he was "not talking about anything sexual".
Instead he said he was just "geeked up about the boys coming there" and ready "to have some fun".
But later he appeared to have carried out a u-turn and issued an apology via the Michigan Senate Republican office.
He said: "I apologize for the misunderstanding yesterday and for offending Allison Donahue."
But Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, a Clarklake Republican, said: "I take this very seriously and intend to have a very intense and lengthy conversation with the senator as soon as we’re done with a session.
"If those words that were reported are accurate, it’s very unacceptable and that’s all I’ve got to say about it."
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Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, a Flint Democrat, called Lucido’s comments "disgusting" and "idiotic".
"What his statement, his apology was basically saying (is), ‘I’m sorry you realize I’m a jerk, and I’m a creep,’" he said, adding journalists and "anyone in this building" should be offended.
He added: ";Leaders in this state, whether they’re men or women, they don’t act like this."
Lucido said earlier this month that he was weighing whether to run for governor in 2022, when Democrat Gretchen Whitmer will be up for re-election.
It also was not known if Lucido could face discipline from Senate leadership. He chairs three committees and serves as majority whip.
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