Republican lawmaker says #MeToo is a 'movement toward victimization'
Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) fancies himself a candidate who says what "a lot of other people don't dare say — but think." Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) disagrees that his views on the #MeToo movement are mainstream.
Cramer is running to unseat Heitkamp in the upcoming midterm elections. His incendiary comments have been a major part of his bid, The New York Times explained Monday, often putting him in direct conflict with other lawmakers. When he said in a recent interview that #MeToo is a "movement toward victimization," Heitkamp offered a sharp rebuke.
The Republican lawmaker disliked "that you're just supposed to believe somebody because they said it happened," and invoked his wife, daughters, and mother to say that they were too "tough" to join in on the "ugly" movement regarding sexual misconduct.
Subscribe to 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.
"It's wonderful his mom hasn't" had an experience with sexual assault, said Heitkamp in response to his comments. "My mom did ... and it didn't make her less strong." Heitkamp became emotional in insisting that "it did not make my mom less strong that she was a victim." She chastised Cramer for his dismissal. "To suggest that this movement doesn't make women strong and stronger is really unfortunate," she said.
Heitkamp was reportedly facing pressure to support Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who was confirmed on Saturday. She ultimately decided not to vote in his favor. Cramer said last month that allegations against Kavanaugh are "absurd." Read more at The New York Times.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
The art world and motherhood: the end of a final taboo?
Talking Point Hettie Judah's new touring exhibition offers a 'riveting riposte' to old cliches
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Musk's reliance on China draws rising scrutiny'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Biba: the story of a 'legendary emporium'
The Week Recommends Brand's 60th anniversary is being marked with retrospective celebrating the 'iconic shop's cultural importance'
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitution
speed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidence
Speed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulations
Speed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriage
Speed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba have a rough day in defamation court
Speed Read Trump's audible grousing as E. Jean Carroll testified earned him a warning he could be thrown out of court, and Habba showed she 'doesn't know what the hell she's doing'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Anders Breivik to testify in prison isolation lawsuit against Norway
Speed Read Far-right fanatic who killed 77 people in 2011 claims he has received 'inhuman treatment' in custody
By The Week UK Published
-
Former Philadelphia police officer charged with murder for Eddie Irizarry shooting
Speed Read
By Rafi Schwartz Published