Rep. Amy Grant of Illinois is struggling to do damage control after she was caught on tape blasting her Democratic opponent for being too Black, too gay, and too “crazy” for public service.
Grant is a Republican running against Democrat Ken Mejia-Beal, an openly gay Black man. In a recorded phone call with a potential donor that leaked on Monday, she was heard making vile remarks about Mejia-Beal’s identity and questioning his mental health.
Republican Illinois state rep Amy Grant caught on leaked recordings with a GOP donor making racist and homophobic remarks about her black, gay opponent Ken Mejia-Beal. ? pic.twitter.com/6a0Ejc7R5Z
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) September 23, 2020
After apologizing for the comments in a statement issued Monday, Grant sat down with the Editorial Board of the Daily Herald yesterday to talk things out some more and–surprise!–she somehow managed to paint herself out to be the victim.
During the meeting, Karen, er, Grant admitted that she messed up by making the racist and homophobic remarks, but she swore that’s not the type of person she is, and it really, really hurts her feelings that people think otherwise.
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“I made a very clumsy and insensitive statement that does not reflect how I feel about my colleagues and any candidates,” Grant said. “My faith is part of my daily life, and hearing those words calling me ‘racist’ rocks me to my core because that’s not who I am.”
“They’re accusing me of being racist and I’m not racist.”
Well, you know what they say. The worst thing you can call a racist… is racist.
Grant also said she never intended to suggest being a member of the “LGBT community is something that would hamper a person’s ability to run for state [representative].”
“It’s actually a ludicrous suggestion,” she remarked.
Then she insisted that, despite what everyone heard her say in the recordings, she simply doesn’t have “the type of personality” to be hateful, self-righteous, or judgmental (she’s a Sunday school teacher, after all!), and she hopes Mejia-Beal will accept her apology.
“I just don’t have the type of personality that would look at another person and say, ‘Oh, you’re not just perfectly right, so I’m going to disparage you,'” Grant said. “If I hurt his feelings, I am very sorry.”
But Mejia-Beal has already called B.S. on Grant’s apology, saying all she did was leave him a voicemail reciting the same exact statement she issued publicly on Monday before hanging up the phone.
“Representative Grant makes it clear that she sees only the color of my skin and my sexual orientation,” he said in a statement posted to Facebook. “And that, in her mind, disqualifies me as a leader and even disqualifies me as a member of our community.”
“Where is Representative Grant’s apology to those who hear her comments and wonder if they fit into her vision of our community?” he continued. “Where is the apology to all whose faith calls them to love their neighbors as themselves?”
My statement on the bigoted comments made by Amy Grant : pic.twitter.com/6rgz52tcBC
— Ken Mejia-Beal (@kmbfor42) September 21, 2020
Related: Republican lawmaker trashes her opponent for being too gay and Black in leaked recordings
Mister P
She made a racist comment and she belongs to the racist orange party. Talks like a duck, walks like a duck………
controversial2019
Boo!
You beat me to it.
As I was reading the article, that exact thought came to me “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck…” and I was so excited to comment with it. Grr to you for getting there first 😛
But it’s true. You can’t say what she said but “not be that type of person”. That just ain’t cricket (doesn’t work as well as Duck, I’m gutted Mister P!)
Cam
Nobody plays victim better than someone who’s guilty and got caught.
James
SHE SHOULD RESIGN. SHE’S AN IDIOT.
zealot
I’m pretty sure all racists say “I’m not racist”. I don’t think I can remember someone accused of being racist saying, “yep…that’s me..a raging racist! You got me dead to rights!” That she’s got hurt feelings over these accusations is just the cherry on the sundae for me.
Mack
If the shoe fits, quit bitching.
butchqueen
Her apology is as real as her hair color.
Kangol2
If you don’t want to be called a racist, then stop being one and saying racist crap!
Invader7
Like all bigots, GLBTQ phobes, racists, etc… they ALWAYS say they’re not. When they previously have proved they ARE . Still are ! Probably always will be. They probably won’t change
blackhook
omg she’s a “Sunday school teacher” LMFAO!!! Amy “Karen” Grant is *perfect* for the Groping Old Party… not only hateful, bigoted, racist & homophobic — but devious & weirdly evangelical. Wonderful! Let’s hope she runs for President soon!
Essie
“Grant said. “If I hurt his feelings, I am very sorry.”
Oh, honey. It’s not about “hurt feelings” it’s about you being racist and a nasty POS. You really should resign and just go away.
innocentgay
Poor Amy Grant the singer. Don’t do my girl dirty like this, Amy Grant the politician. Resign, and change your name to something appropriate, like Ivanna Bea Trump.
Invader7
Cause you are Blanche. You ARE an ass backwards ,knuckle dragging ,cave dwelling, non-evolved, BIGOTED, HOMOPHOBIC , PREJUDICED ,RACIST Neanderthal. Own it and suck it up b*t*h ! Put your big girl panties on and deal with it, you crunt !!!