FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
August 8, 2017
Contact: Hugh Madden, hugh@progressmichigan.org
Progress Michigan Calls On Walberg to Apologize Over Domestic Abuse Comment
LANSING—Progress Michigan is calling on U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg to immediately apologize for and retract his insensitive remark about “beating my wife” made today at a town hall in Dexter.
“Given his votes to restrict healthcare access for women, this insensitive and irrelevant statement from Congressman Walberg shouldn’t come as a surprise. But domestic abuse is never a laughing matter, and it should never be tolerated as such,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director for Progress Michigan. “Even when his own constituents told him such a statement wasn’t funny, Congressman Walberg continued on with his stump speech on a completely unrelated topic, proving he is not only out of touch – he is out of line.”
The comment came as Walberg’s first reaction to a question by a constituent which said, “You have shown with your votes and comments that you want to cut Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Which do you want to cut the most?”
Walberg’s response: “And when did I stop beating my wife, is that the next question?”
“Walberg was smug throughout his entire town hall and will likely try to write the comment off as a bad joke, but it was more than not funny – it was not appropriate. He should be ashamed of his casual disregard of domestic abuse,” Scott said.
The town hall was streamed on Progress Michigan Executive Director Lonnie Scott’s Facebook page and can be viewed here. The comments take place around the 9:40 mark.