Lansing - House Republicans prohibited state Rep. Lisa Brown from speaking on the floor Thursday after she ended a speech Wednesday against a bill restricting abortions by referencing her female anatomy.
Brown, a West Bloomfield Democrat and mother of three, said a package of abortion regulation bills would violate her Jewish religious beliefs that pregnancy be aborted to save the life of the mother.
"Finally, Mr. Speaker, I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina, but 'no' means 'no,'" Brown said Wednesday.
Brown's comment prompted a rebuke Thursday by House Republicans, who wouldn't allow her to voice her opinion on a school employee retirement bill.
"What she said was offensive," said Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville. "It was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women. I would not say that in mixed company."
Brown's comments were published in Thursday's Detroit News.
Majority Floor Leader Jim Stamas, R-Midland, determined Brown's comments violated the decorum of the House, said Ari Adler, spokesman for the Republican majority.
"If I can't say the word vagina, why are we legislating vaginas?" Brown asked Thursday at a hastily called Capitol press conference. "What language should I use?"
Brown noted "vagina" is the "medically correct term."
"We're all adults here," she said.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120614/POLITICS02/206140467#ixzz1xpA2bXPd
Brown, a West Bloomfield Democrat and mother of three, said a package of abortion regulation bills would violate her Jewish religious beliefs that pregnancy be aborted to save the life of the mother.
"Finally, Mr. Speaker, I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina, but 'no' means 'no,'" Brown said Wednesday.
Brown's comment prompted a rebuke Thursday by House Republicans, who wouldn't allow her to voice her opinion on a school employee retirement bill.
"What she said was offensive," said Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville. "It was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women. I would not say that in mixed company."
Brown's comments were published in Thursday's Detroit News.
Majority Floor Leader Jim Stamas, R-Midland, determined Brown's comments violated the decorum of the House, said Ari Adler, spokesman for the Republican majority.
"If I can't say the word vagina, why are we legislating vaginas?" Brown asked Thursday at a hastily called Capitol press conference. "What language should I use?"
Brown noted "vagina" is the "medically correct term."
"We're all adults here," she said.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120614/POLITICS02/206140467#ixzz1xpA2bXPd
