An Arizona Republican state legislator who has been accussed of sexually harassing female colleagues, began his apology speech "with a joke" and "then went on to point fingers in self-defense," the Arizona Capitol Times reported Tuesday.
“Members, I know you all want to thank me for my part in bringing you here today,” Rep. Don Shooter (R-Yuma) said, as a joke, at the beginning of mandatory harassment and discrimination training by the Attorney General's office.
“I was beyond embarrassed to hear that what I thought were welcomed and well-intentioned hugs were perceived as creepy and lecherous,” Shooter said. “I didn’t know. As soon as I did know, I have been – and am, so sorry.”
Rep. Shooter also claimed some accusations were made "for a personal or political vendetta."
The allegations against the Republican legislator started with a #MeToo post by conservative state Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-Scottsdale), AZ Central reported in November.
Rep. Shooter at first apologized to his fellow GOP caucus member, but retracted his apology within hours.
"Since then, I've actually seen the text of Ms. Ugenti's accusations and I absolutely withdraw my apology," Shooter wrote in his apology retraction. "I've been happily married for 41 years, I've never cheated on my wife, and there isn't a woman on this planet I would leave my wife for."
“The trouble with Ms. Ugenti stems from my publicly voiced disapproval over how she has conducted herself personally, with staff, and later with legislation," he said.
State Reps. Athena Salman (D-Tempe), and Wenona Benally (D-Window Rock) have also accused Sen. Shooter of sexual misconduct.
"Rep. Shooter repeatedly referred to his male genitalia as a ‘gun,' " Benally wrote. "The conversation made me extremely uncomfortable."
Mi-Ai Parrish, the president and publisher of the Arizona Republic, also recounted a #MeToo story about the Republican legislator.
Parrish told of her first meeting with Rep. Shooter, when he told her he had accomplished everything on his bucket list.
"Well, except that one thing," he answered. Parrish, who is Korean-American, asked about his regret.
“Those Asian twins in Mexico," Shooter allegedly answered.
"Don Shooter made a demeaning, sexual and racial comment to me in his office, in front of my attorney," Parrish wrote. "That's not right. And that's the truth."
The Arizona Capitol Times reported Rep. Shooter's speech garnered some applause, "but many of the women in the House responded with silence."
Rep. Ugenti-Rita, the Republican whose initial allegation launched all of the additional accusations, "sat motionless during Shooter's comments," AZ Central noted. "After he was done speaking, about a dozen members of the House applauded. Ugenti-Rita immediately left the floor."
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