Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, apologized on Thursday for using the word “colored” and other terms that people find offensive during recent remarks.
The Yakima Herald-Republic described the incident, which took place during debate over SB 5752. The bill would create a system to create statements on the impacts of education, criminal and human services legislation on different racial and ethnic groups.
Honeyford had a question about how crime data on poor and minority communities would affect those impact statements, saying that it was “generally accepted that the poor are more likely to commit crimes, and generally accepted that people of color are more likely poor than not.”
Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle, pushed back on Honeyford’s statement, and Honeyford was offered a chance to clarify.
“I said the poor are more likely to commit crimes, and colored, most likely to be poor,” Honeyford answered.
Later, in an interview with Yakima TV station KIMA, Honeyford clarified that he did not mean to say that people of color commit more crimes. However that didn’t resolve the situation.
“But they were talking about people of color and that’s not just the Negro or the Hispanic it’s the whole group of minorities,” he told the TV station.
On Thursday, Honeyford’s office issued this statement:
“Some say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I’m here to say that’s not always true.
“Many have approached me this week to tell me that a 76-year-old man doesn’t always use language that is appropriate in 2015.
“I sincerely appreciate the people who took the time to tell me that some of the language I have used has been hurtful to them. Even my wife has weighed in on this issue.
“I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused; it was certainly not my intent to offend anyone.
“I have been active for years in working in my community to encourage residents from diverse communities to become politically active, and I regret anything that takes away from those efforts.
“It is a privilege to serve in the public arena and I will continue to representing my entire community with diligence and increased sensitivity.”
However, his apology has not good been good enough for some.
Reporters said two people Friday were escorted from the gallery after shouting and demanding that Honeyford resign.
Students just disrupted Senate demanding that #honeyfordresign #waleg! pic.twitter.com/9dnqmvf4is
— POC4Progress (@POC4Progress) March 6, 2015
These brave students called on Sen. Jim Honeyford to resign. #HoneyfordResign #waleg. pic.twitter.com/3AcdgWKykp
— Fuse Washington (@FuseWA) March 6, 2015
The original exchange is below:
