The Florida Democratic Party are calling for the resignation of a Florida State Senator after he went on a racist and sexist tirade against two black colleagues at a club Monday evening.
Senator Frank Artiles of Miami, a Cuban-American, targeted his racial and gender-based remarks at Senators Audrey Gibson and Perry Thurston who he was having drinks with at the Governor’s Club in Tallahassee.
Artiles began his tirade by suggesting that Republican Sen. Joe Negron was only elected as the State’s Senate President because of “six n—-rs.” The discussion between Artiles and his two black colleagues turned heated and the State Senator turned his vitriol to them, calling Gibson a “girl” and a “bitch.”
Senate President Negron was notified of the incident and shortly after, Artiles’ office issued a statement, semi-apologizing:
“In an exchange with a colleague of mine in the Senate, I unfortunately let my temper get the best of me. There is no excuse for the exchange that occurred and I have apologized to my Senate colleagues and regret the incident profusely.”
Despite this claim, the Senators involved say that received no apology from Artiles, despite having several opportunities to do so on the State Senate floor.
In a statement issued Tuesday night, the Florida Democratic Party demanded the immediate resignation of Artiles for his tirade:
“His use of horrific racist and sexist slurs towards his colleagues is disgusting, unacceptable and has no place in our democracy or our society. There is never an excuse for racism or misogyny and the people of Florida aren’t buying it. Resign now.”
