Florida Politician Under Fire for Calling Opponent 'Batty Boy'

A Florida state representative has stepped down from a leadership position after using an antigay slur -- and making an apology that some saw as insufficient.

Rep. Al Jacquet, a Democrat who represents a district covering parts of Palm Beach and neighboring communities, called one of his opponents in the upcoming primary a "batty boy" in a video posted to his personal Facebook page Friday, as first reported Tuesday by Florida Politics. "Batty boy" is an antigay term used in Caribbean countries. Jacquet is a native of one of the region's countries, the Netherlands Antilles.

The video was in part a response to a story in The Palm Beach Postthat noted Jacquet does not have an office in his district and couldn't be reached at his home address. The story asked, "Where is state Rep. Al Jacquet?"

"Where I'm at? I'm running in 2020, baby. Reelection, 100 percent. Where you at? I hear they got 'Sleepy Hardy.' That's all good," he said, referring to primary competitor Omari Hardy, who is currently a city commissioner in Lake Worth Beach. Jacquet, who also contended he was being targeted because he's Black and fights for poor people, then called Hardy "the batty boy, union boy."

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Hardy demanded an apology, saying, "While I am not gay, I was raised in a same-sex household by my two mothers, and I am offended for them and for the broader LGBTQ community here in Palm Beach County, where I serve." He is one of three candidates running against Jacquet in the Democratic primary, to be held in August.

Several fellow representatives also called on Jacquet to apologize, including Shevrin Jones and Carlos Guillermo Smith, who are both gay. So did the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus and the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.

Jacquet released a statement of apology Tuesday, Florida Politics reports. "In the heat of the moment, I said something I should not have said," he said. "I apologize for my words that have offended some of my colleagues." Hardy rejected the apology, and Smith tweeted that the gesture was "WEAK."

Jacquet expanded on his statement Wednesday by saying, "Nothing I said was an attack on any group ... I should not have used the word ... it's like saying 'I love you' but instead saying 'I love your big head.'"

He also announced Wednesday that he was stepping down as ranking member of the House Rules Committee. The ranking member is the highest position held by a committee member from the party in the minority -- in this case, the Democrats.

Terrie Rizzo, who chairs the Florida Democratic Party, said Jacquet needs to do more. She posted this tweet Wednesday.