Michigan state senator hits back after GOP colleague appears to call her a 'groomer'
A Michigan state senator on Tuesday delivered an impassioned response after she was accused in a Republican colleague's fundraising email of being "outraged" that schools "can't groom and sexualize kindergarteners," The Hill and Insider report.
"I didn't expect to wake up yesterday to the news that the senator from the 22nd district had, overnight, accused me by name of grooming and sexualizing children in an email fundraising for herself," state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D) began Tuesday, alluding to an email from GOP state Sen. Lana Theis. The subject line of said email was reportedly "Groomers outraged by my invocation."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Theis' initial fundraising email was ostensibly alluding to McMorrow's opposition to legislation restricting the discussion of gender and sexuality in schools, the most notable example of which is likely Florida's new "Don't Say Gay" law.
McMorrow was also one of three state senators who walked out of a legislative session last week after Theis claimed "children are under attack" because there are "forces that desire things for them other than what their parents would have them see and hear and know."
Accusations of "grooming" have recently gained popularity among certain right-leaning commentators and activists, with those "on the fringes" claiming that those who oppose measures like the "Don't Say Gay" bill are "enabling children to be primed for abuse by allowing them to learn about gender and sexual identity," The Hill writes. McMorrow's speech on Tuesday, for which she received high marks among Democrats, reflected that exact national conversation, even with its references to broader pieces of the culture wars (such as critical race theory).
-
ICE’s facial scanning is the tip of the surveillance icebergIN THE SPOTLIGHT Federal troops are increasingly turning to high-tech tracking tools that push the boundaries of personal privacy
-
‘My donation felt like a rejection of the day’s politics’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump wants a weaker dollar but economists aren’t so sureTalking Points A weaker dollar can make imports more expensive but also boost gold
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
