A Democratic congressman who is running for Senate issued an apology on Thursday after unintentionally using a racial slur during a House Budget Committee hearing. He expressed that he had intended to use a different word and acknowledged his mistake.
During a conversation about tax policy, Rep. David Trone of Maryland made an inappropriate remark when discussing the impact of tax rates on business investment. In the presence of Shalanda Young, the first Black woman to serve as the director of the Office of Budget and Management, Trone used an offensive term to refer to Black people. He stated, “So this Republican j—–o that, you know, it’s the tax rate that’s stopping business investment, it’s just completely faulty by people who’ve never run a business.”
When asked by the media about using the word, Trone later said sorry. “I messed up and used an offensive phrase while trying to use the word ‘bugaboo’ today in a hearing,” he told The Washington Post in a statement. “When I found out what the word meant, I felt terrible that I had used it by accident, and I’m sorry.”
In a subsequent statement, he acknowledged the word’s long and painful history.
“It should never be used in any conversation, at any time, and anywhere,” emphasized Trone. “As a white man, I am fully aware of the privilege I have. Moreover, as an elected official, I understand the importance of being mindful of the words I choose to use, particularly in moments of heightened emotions. Irrespective of my intentions, I should not have uttered those words.”
Trone is currently running for the Senate seat in Maryland, which is currently held by retiring Senator Ben Cardin.
