(DCNF)—Democratic Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin failed to directly answer Sunday when asked if she believes biological men should participate in women’s sports after NBC News host Kristen Welker questioned her on the issue.
In the release of his first podcast episode, Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated Thursday it was “deeply unfair” to have biological men participating in women’s sports, drawing backlash from members of his own party. After playing a clip of Newsom’s statement for Slotkin on “Meet the Press,” Welker asked the senator if she agreed with the California governor’s stance.
“Well, look, I think you’ll have to talk to Mr. Newsom and his podcast, and we’re all talking about it now because it’s good controversy. For me, I grew up playing three seasons of sports. In Michigan, sports is like our religion, right? I wouldn’t be here, I think, without the leadership training that I got in women’s sports,” Slotkin said.
“But for me, it’s like, let the local community figure this out, right? In Michigan, we have a process in place where if someone who’s born a boy wants to play in women’s sports, you have to get a waiver,” Slotkin added. We’ve had it happen two times in our entire state.”
Since the release of Newsom’s first episode, Democrats in his own state have criticized his statement, with the California Legislature’s LGBTQ caucus issuing a joint statement from Assemblymember Chris Ward and state Sen. Caroline Menjivar, saying they were “profoundly sickened and frustrated” by the remarks.
Despite the governor’s statement, his track record shows he has supported pushing for transgender rights in his state, backing policies such as allowing men in women’s prisons and permitting schools to privately transition children without parents’ knowledge or consent.
Slotkin went on to advocate that the issue of biological men playing in women’s sports should be decided at the local level, stating the topic was raised “to make sparks fly.”
“So let the local communities, just like everything with schools, handle that issue. For me, though, I think this issue is being sort of brought up in order to make sparks and see sparks fly,” Slotkin concluded.
Democrats have continued to push back on banning biological men from women’s sports, with the party’s senators blocking the GOP’s Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act on March 3, voting 51 to 45 along party lines and killing a cloture vote on the bill. In a recent Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, however, 69% of Americans surveyed said they support “banning men who have undergone operations and hormones to become women from girls’ sports,” with 50% Democrat supporting.
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Deprivation Of Rights Under Color Of Law
Summary:
Section 242 of Title 18 makes it a crime for a person acting under color of any law to willfully deprive a person of a right or privilege protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States.
For the purpose of Section 242, acts under “color of law” include acts not only done by federal, state, or local officials ithin the their lawful authority, but also acts done beyond the bounds of that official’s lawful authority, if the acts are done while the official is purporting to or pretending to act in the performance of his/her official duties. Persons acting under color of law within the meaning of this statute include police officers, prisons guards and other law enforcement officials, as well as judges, care providers in public health facilities, and others who are acting as public officials. It is not necessary that the crime be motivated by animus toward the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin of the victim.
The offense is punishable by a range of imprisonment up to a life term, or the death penalty, depending upon the circumstances of the crime, and the resulting injury, if any.
TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 242
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, … shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnaping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.