Wolf asks House leaders to demote Metcalfe for anti-gay talk
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday urged Republican House leaders to consider ousting a conservative representative as chairman of a key committee based on “offensive and discriminatory” statements he made about homosexuality the day before.
“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern of behavior,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “In light of this documented history of discriminatory statements, I urge House leadership to re-examine whether it is appropriate for Rep. Metcalfe to continue controlling the committee that oversees civil rights legislation.”
The governor was referring to Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, a Republican from Butler County, who chairs the House state government committee. Comments Mr. Metcalfe made during a committee meeting Tuesdaywere captured on video.
In the video, the committee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Matt Bradford, touches Mr. Metcalfe’s forearm for a split second and Mr. Metcalfe asks him to stop and emphasizes that he is a heterosexual. “I don’t like men — as you might,” Mr. Metcalfe says. He tells Mr. Bradford at one point, “Like, if you want to touch somebody, you have people on your side of the aisle that might like it. I don’t.”
Mr. Metcalfe, a social
conservative, has made statements construed as anti-gay in the past. He said Wednesday that he does not believe House leaders will try to remove him from his chairmanship. He called the governor’s remarks a “partisan attack” that he felt was motivated, in part, by the fact that he has been a vocal critic of the governor.
“I think it should be offensive to everyone in this state and they should really question whether or not this governor has any principles at all that he would stand on the side of a perpetrator,” he said.
Mr. Wolf and Mr. Metcalfe often take different stances on social issues, especially regarding sexual orientation. The governor has expressed frustration that a bill to expand nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender expression or identity has not left Mr. Metcalfe’s committee. Mr. Metcalfe said Wednesday that he does not believe there are enough votes for the bill to pass out of his committee.
Mr. Wolf’s remarks came after the state Democratic Party called Tuesday for Mr. Metcalfe to resign, calling him a “walking, talking embarrassment to Pennsylvanians.”
Told of that, Mr. Metcalfe said Tuesday that he would not step down. He also noted the party had called for his resignation before.
Mr. Metcalfe said he had asked Mr. Bradford before not to touch him. Mr. Bradford — who is married to a woman and has four children — said Tuesday that he was trying to “restrain him so I could finish my thought” and that he was not making a pass at Mr. Metcalfe.
“I have no idea what goes on in his head,” Mr. Bradford said Tuesday, “and some days I’m glad for that.”