New Hampshire Republican House speaker Shawn Jasper had to tell his fellow Republicans to “act with dignity, to act with respect, because we represent not only ourselves but our constituents and, in fact, the entire state of New Hamsphire,” at the opening of the 2016 New Hampshire legislative session. Why did he have to say this?
Jasper’s admonishment comes after two male legislators were criticized for crude Facebook comments aimed at Democratic representative Amanda Bouldin, who opposed the legislation and noted that it had only male sponsors. The bill would make it a misdemeanor for women to purposely expose their nipples publicly without regard for whether it might offend or alarm someone. It includes an exemption for breastfeeding.
Well, I mean “crude”? Really? How do you mean “crude”?
In response to Bouldin’s Facebook post, Republican representative Josh Moore, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, wrote that women who want to expose their breasts should have no problem with a man’s inclination to stare at it and “grab it.”
Al Baldasaro, another Republican, chimed in to disparage Bouldin’s appearance.
“No disrespect, but your nipple would be the last one I would want to see,” he wrote. “You want to turn our family beach’s (sic) into a pervert show.”
Aaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnddddddd, you’re a scumbag!
Moore has had to withdraw his name from the bill while Baldasaro is clenching his fists and throwing a tantrum.
Baldasaro, for his part, didn’t back away from his comments to Bouldin, and he also accused Jasper of trying to quash free speech.
“We have a constitution,” Baldasaro said. “It’s there for a reason, and I’ll never be silenced.”
In the New Hampshire Republican House’s defense they gave Jasper a standing ovation—plus they voted pretty unanimously to keep Jasper’s remarks in the permanent record after Dan Tamburello, a Republican lawmaker who had forgotten to bring his blankie with him didn’t want Jasper’s remarks on the record.
Republican Dan Tamburello protested efforts to include Jasper’s remarks in the House’s permanent journal. He said representatives don’t need to be “lectured as if we were a bunch of third-graders”.
Amazing. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.