Texas Lawmaker: ‘Don’t Try To Jew Them Down’
Rep. Larry Taylor, who is running for the Texas Senate in 2012, used a Jewish slur as he spoke in a Texas state legislative committee hearing on Thursday, and then issued an apology.
Having realized that telling Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, “Don’t nitpick, don’t try to Jew them down,” was not appropriate, he quickly said, “probably a bad term” and went on speaking.
The formal apology came later through a spokesman: “I inadvertently used a phrase that many people find offensive. I corrected myself immediately when I realized what I had said. I regret my poor choice of words and sincerely apologize for any harm they may have caused.”
Taylor’s “poor choice of words” came during a hearing addressing allegations that Texas Windstorm Insurance Association had colluded with adjusters to avoid paying damages to policyholders in coastal counties following Hurricane Ike in 2008. Taylor’s remarks came as he was attempting to tell the Association not to delay in paying legitimate claims.
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