Rep. Carolyn Maloney apologizes over use of N-word, but slip may cost her against Sen. Gillibrand
By Michael Saul
DAILY NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
Monday, July 20th 2009, 2:51 PM
Monaster/News
Rep. Carolyn Maloney's use of the N-word may hurt her planned run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who is preparing to announce her bid for Senate next week, apologized Monday for using the N-word as she relayed a conversation to a reporter.
"I apologize for having repeated a word I find disgusting," Maloney said in a statement.
"It's no excuse but I was so caught up in relaying the story exactly as it was told to me that, in doing so, I repeated a word that should never be repeated," she said.
Maloney is quoted in City Hall, a monthly publication and political Web site, relaying a phone call she received from someone who was disappointed with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's stance on English-only education.
"I got a call from someone from Puerto Rico, said [Gillibrand] went to Puerto Rico and came out for English-only [education]. And he said, 'It was like saying n-r to a Puerto Rican,'" she is quoted saying, using the full racial slur.
In a statement, Rev. Al Sharpton, who is supporting Gillibrand, lambasted Maloney, saying her use of the word was "alarming and disturbing at best."
"No public official even in quoting someone else should loosely use such an offensive term and should certainly challenge someone using the term to him or her," Sharpton said.
Sharpton also called on Maloney to reveal the person who initially used the word "so we know that in fact this conversation did occur and the way in which it occurred."
A spokesman for Gillibrand did not immediately return a request for comment.
The timing of this brouhaha couldn't be any worse for Maloney.
Tonight, former President Bill Clinton is headlining a fund-raiser for her at the St. Regis Hotel in midtown Manhattan.
Maloney is scheduled to launch her bid for the Senate on Monday or Tuesday of next week.
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