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News from Progress Michigan

April 3, 2019

Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org

Chatfield Must Apologize for Sexist Remarks

On radio show, Chatfield said Gov. Whitmer and AG Nessel’s Line 5 decision was “driven by emotion”

MICHIGAN — Progress Michigan is calling on Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield to apologize for sexist remarks he made against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel. According to the Detroit Free Press, Chatfield said on a radio show that Whitmer and Nessel’s decisions on the controversial Line 5 were “driven by emotion.”

“Belittling the Governor and Attorney General by saying they are ‘driven by emotion’ when they’ve clearly been thoughtful, deliberate, and direct in their approach to Line 5 is the type of sexism that we cannot tolerate in Michigan. Chatfield needs to apologize immediately,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “This wasn’t some off-handed comment or mistake. This is the continuation of generations of sexist rhetoric that is used to downplay strong female leaders like Whitmer and Nessel.”

According to the Detroit Free Press, Chatfield’s spokesperson said “it’s important to be governed by science” and said to read “into this statement any more than that is even more political than the original decision itself.”

“Chatfield should also apologize for the laughable assertion that Republicans give a damn about science,” Scott continued. “Hey Lee, ever heard of climate change?”

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