Seattle Rep. Pramila Jayapal Rips Alaska Congressman Over Sexist Comment

SEATTLE, WA - If you call Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, a "young lady" and say that she "doesn’t know a damn thing," she won't just let it pass. During a debate on the House floor Thursday, Alaska's only Congressman, Don Young, was forced to apologize to Jayapal during a rude exchange over an amendment to the spending bill H.R.3354.

After Jayapal introduced an amendment that would affect wildlife preserves in Alaska, Young scolded Jayapal, accusing her of not knowing "a damn thing," of being beholden to the Humane Society, and not believing in "state's rights."

"What you said was really nonsense, it was written by an interest group," Young, 84, said. "I really am disturbed. You may not know me young lady ..."

That's when Jayapal, 51, cut Young off.

"The gentleman has already impugned my motives by saying that I don’t ‘know a damn thing’ about what I’m talking about and he’s now called me ‘young lady,'" she said.

Proceedings were halted after the exchange, and when debate began again, Young did indeed withdraw his comments.

"I recognize it was out of order, so I hope you accept my apology," he said.

Even though he apologized, Jayapal supporters including NARAL and Chelsea Clinton, tweeted about the exchange.

"[P]ointer to men, don't call your colleagues 'young ladies,'" Seattle University law professor Brooke Coleman wrote on Twitter.

Image via CSPAN