Democrats are calling for the resignation of a GOP lawmaker who reportedly hurled a homophobic slur at Philly’s Malcolm Kenyatta
"The alleged conduct is troubling," the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus said in a statement about State Rep. Aaron Bernstine.
The Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus chastised a GOP state legislator Thursday after he reportedly hurled a homophobic slur earlier in the week at Democratic State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia, who is gay.
State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, a Republican who represents portions of Butler and Lawrence Counties in Western Pennsylvania, also allegedly said in a Harrisburg bar that Kenyatta had lost weight, which Bernstine allegedly attributed to AIDS, according to reporting by PennLive. Kenyatta was not present when the alleged remarks were made.
“The alleged conduct is troubling and does not comport with the values and professionalism Pennsylvanians expect of their state lawmakers,” Republican Caucus spokesperson Jason Gottesman said in a statement.
“All elected officials, regardless of party or position, must act in a manner consistent with the expectations of their constituents. When they fall short of that standard, it is upon them to take personal and individual responsibility for their actions quickly and appropriately.”
Kenyatta didn’t respond to several requests for comment, but other Democrats expressed their outrage on his behalf, including the Democratic National Committee, for which Kenyatta serves as vice chair.
“Hateful, homophobic, and racist attacks like this have absolutely no place in our politics, our communities, or our country,” DNC chair Ken Martin said in a statement.
The Democratic leaders of Pennsylvania’s Legislative LGBTQ Equality Caucus, as well as the Black Caucus, demanded Berstine’s immediate resignation in a joint statement Thursday, saying that Bernstine’s “unacceptable” conduct has rendered him “unfit to serve.”
“We are calling on all House members, but especially Republican leaders, to denounce his behavior, to join us in demanding his resignation, and for Republican leaders to identify the steps they will take to guard against this kind of pathetic behavior within their caucus,” said the statement from Black Caucus Chair Napoleon Nelson (Montgomery County), and LGBTQ Equality co-Chairs Ismail Smith-Wade-El (portions of Lancaster County), and Jessica Benham (portions of Lancaster County).
Bernstine denied that he made the comments.
“The allegations attributed to me are false. This is a political attack,” he said in a statement Thursday.
He also referenced an altercation he had at the bar that same night with individuals he identified as being with the Pennsylvania Building Trades Council. Saying he was the subject of threats, he added that he alerted local police.
Berstine went on to criticize reporters who initially broke the story. “Reporters should scrutinize elected officials, including me,” he said. “But scrutiny is not a license to publish falsehoods or omit critical context. We are exploring all available legal remedies.”
The Philadelphia House Delegation posted a statement on X Thursday afternoon, calling for Bernstine’s resignation in response to his “alleged disgusting, hate-filled tirade.”
House Democratic leadership said it was “exploring potential next steps” and that majority party looks forward to “hearing what repercussions Republican House leadership will impose for his abhorrent behavior.”
Expulsion requires two-thirds majority in the House, which could happen if some Republicans crossed the aisle in the narrowly divided chamber.
In 2020, House Republican leaders called for Bernstine’s resignation after videos of him encouraging his young son to smoke and curse surfaced. Soon after, Bernstine was reelected, and the demands quieted.
Three years earlier, in the midst of Black Lives Matter demonstrations in which motorists were blocked, Bernstine posted on X, “If anyone EVER tries to stop my car on a highway with negative intentions... I will not stop under any conditions.”
Staff writers Gill McGoldrick and Michelle Baruchman.
