A Democratic lawmaker in Pennsylvania managed to infuriate the state's entire Republican party when he called out the GOP legislators for being "100% White" and the chamber for being "70% Male."
The truth-telling lawmaker, Representative Brian Sims, even had his mic cut off and comments stricken from the record, Business Insider reported.
The heated exchange came as Pennsylvania lawmakers were debating a Republican proposal to force women to bury or cremate remains of miscarried fetuses.
Several Democratic women came forward to testify against the bill, which the Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf vowed to veto if it ever came across his desk.
Sims, joining that chorus of critical testimony, didn't mince words when he took the podium.
You can see his remarks in this video:
@PAHouseGOP leader has meltdown on House floor after it was raised that his caucus is 100% white in a chamber that is 70% male while pushing bills that hurt women's health, especially Black and brown women.\n\nHe had it stricken from the record then they shut down the floor.pic.twitter.com/xy1qwI8eYG— J.J. Abbott (@J.J. Abbott) 1623268017
After calling the bill nothing but a "distraction," Sims let the GOP have it.
"But this feels normal for far too many of us. This is just another act in a political theater that has plagued this chamber for far too long."
"We are a legislature that has met more to remove mask mandates, strip executive emergency powers, and overturn free and fair elections than we have to make strategic investments in Pennsylvania's women, children and families."
Sims closed with a few harsh truths.
"Lastly, Mr Speaker, it is not lost on me and I'm sure it's not lost on many of the members here today that this legislation is just one more unnecessary overreach in a grossly predictably misogynistic agenda, an agenda pursued by a House, by a party that is 100% White in a chamber that is 70% male."
When GOP members in the chamber booed Sims, he fired back with a jeer of his own.
"Oh, your boos mean nothing. I've seen what you cheer for."
Despite the accuracy of Sims criticisms, Republican House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff then called for the House Speaker to cut off Sims microphone and strike his comments from the record. The Speaker, Republican Bryan Cutler, did exactly that.
Folks on Twitter were stunned by the gall of the Pennsylvania GOP.
Inflammatory??? \n\nTruth is inflammatory?\n\n\u201cYour party is all white.\u201d \n\n-Don\u2019t call white people white people? \n\nIt\u2019s only inflammatory because you know it\u2019s criticism of the White privilege, and Supremacy that plagues the GOP!— B. L. A. (@B. L. A.) 1623272926
A GOP house of white men have no right to legislate women\u2019s bodies. Why is it that the party of small govt always wants to micro manage bodies and sex ? Weird no?— Croix Picoriello (@Croix Picoriello) 1623291100
Sims made history in 2012 when he became the first openly gay legislator in Pennsylvania history.
A civil rights and LGBTQ+ advocate, Sims followed a successful college football career—where in 2000 when he came out to his teammates became the first openly gay college football captain in NCAA history—with a law degree.
In February 2021, Sims announced his intention to run for Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania.
After 10 years in the State House, I\u2019ve taken the lessons that my parents taught me & reinforced them in my work as a legislator: to take responsibility, commit to service, be courageous, & push for fairness.\n \nI\u2019m ready to take these values to lead the Commonwealth.pic.twitter.com/lcNmYQghgr— Brian Sims (@Brian Sims) 1613398660
Sims also famously welcomed Vice President Mike Pence to Philadelphia with an extended middle figure and a statement calling out Pence's homophobia and divisive rhetoric.
People appreciated Sims' latest statement of unvarnished truth.
A party that is 100% white, 70% male. Is that not merely a statement of fact? GOP now rejects facts? Not surprising.— Michael Houck (@Michael Houck) 1623269636
70% men, 100% white. Wow. Awful representation going on.— Paula Bonaparte (@Paula Bonaparte) 1623291446
Facts don\u2019t care about the majority leader\u2019s feelings. Tender though they may be.— Jamie Neilson (@Jamie Neilson) 1623270700
We're 5 years into the alternative facts portion of the show.— Se\u00e1n Se\u00e1n the Leprechaun (@Se\u00e1n Se\u00e1n the Leprechaun) 1623269955
Whoa. Awesome.\nTruth hurts, GOP.\n\n'Your Boos Mean Nothing to Me \u2013 I've Seen What You Cheer For': Gay Dem Brian Sims Slams GOP Lawmakers Who Cut His Michttps://buff.ly/354tbdk— Gay Civil Rights (@Gay Civil Rights) 1623350387
The anti cancel culture party shut off his mic because he stated an irrefutable statistical fact. \nThe GP once again, holding others to a standard to which they do not hold themselves— tim wager \ud83e\uddac (@tim wager \ud83e\uddac) 1623287795
Yeah! Strike those accurate statistics from the record! The truth is OFFENSIVE!— The Meme Guy (@The Meme Guy) 1623269746
There a bunch of Wussies, they don\u2019t want to hear or have the truth heard out loud! I\u2019d give this man a huge hug for trying to keep Women from loosing their rights! The so called Christian @GOP have skeletons in their closets that are far worse than a rape victims forced trama!pic.twitter.com/PvPpF1YbFo— Texas Bear (@Texas Bear) 1623394029
It may have been stricken from one record, but it lives forever on the internet.\nGood job, @RepSims— Hirightnow (@Hirightnow) 1623310687
Brian Sims unleashed his wrath upon them and they were not ready for it.https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2021/06/your-boos-mean-nothing-to-me-ive-seen-what-you-cheer-for-gay-dem-brian-sims-slams-gop-lawmakers-who-cut-his-mic/\u00a0\u2026— Carlos Castro (@Carlos Castro) 1623354347
Love him! Brian Sims is a Democratic member of the PA House in the 182nd district. Sims is also a lawyer & LGBT civil rights activist. Sims is the first openly gay elected state legislator in PA history & a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of PA in the 2022 election.pic.twitter.com/gwMHfLNe8K— DieAmerikanerin (@DieAmerikanerin) 1623366223
The bill has since passed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. It now will move on to the Senate.
But again, Governor Tom Wolf vowed to never let it get past his desk.
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