“Londigran and EMILY’s List have detracted from a much-needed conversation [on sexual harassment]… They should apologize to Davis”

Last week, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan’s hometown newspaper, the State Journal-Register, gave her and EMILY’s List a thumbs down for pushing flat out lies against Congressman Davis’ testimony in a House committee hearing on sexual harassment. Here’s what they had to say:

Thumbs Down: To a political opponent, and a partisan advocacy group, for grossly mischaracterizing comments made by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis.

Davis, R-Taylorville, said during a Nov. 14 hearing of the House Administration Committee that he had asked his female-led staff their opinions on sexual harassment issues in Congress. They expressed concern that an unintended consequence of the topic being in the limelight is that some offices might not hire women — an approach Davis said was wrong.

…Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, one of four people seeking the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, initially tweeted: “Really? Are you kidding me? Offensive and illegal. … One more reason he has to go.” She made additional comments on her Facebook page.

Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List, an organization that supports pro-choice Democratic women and has endorsed Londrigan, tweeted in part: “Excluding women from Congress is NOT how we should address sexual harassment. Let’s get this buffoon out and elect (Londrigan) instead.”

…Even after those clarifications, Londrigan and EMILY’s List have stuck by their statements. No one likes to admit they are wrong. But that’s not an excuse for using incomplete information to spread falsehoods — even in politics, where we sadly have come to expect half-truths and outright lies during campaign season .

The issue of sexual harassment is finally getting the discussion it deserves. Londigran and EMILY’s List have detracted from a much-needed conversation on Capitol Hill by first not bothering to find out what Davis truly said, and second by refusing to admit they were wrong. They should apologize to Davis.

They followed up by calling on EMILY’s List and Londrigan to apologize to Congressman Davis like other female Republican leaders have called on them to do as well.

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