Peter Hansen Email Outrage: Lawmaker Referred to Women by Their Privates

By Brittney R. Villalva, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Peter Hansen has sparked outrage amongst members of the Republican Party after being accused of referring to women by their private parts in an email he sent to colleagues.

The New Hampshire based State Republican immediately defended himself against criticism, stating that his words had been "misinterpreted." The email in question was sent April 1st, regarding a debate about the "stand your ground" gun bill.

Hansen wrote: "What could possibly be missing from those factual tales of successful retreat in VT, Germany, and the bowels of Amsterdam? Why children and vagina's of course. While the tales relate the actions of a solitary male the outcome cannot relate to similar situations where children and women and mothers are the potential victims."

State Republican chair Jennifer Horn regarded the comments as "offensive" to women.

"Representative Hansen's comments are crude, offensive and have no place in public discourse," Horn said in a statement Tuesday. "There is no excuse for anybody to use such disrespectful language -- especially an elected official. I strongly condemn his disrespectful and shameful remarks."

But Hansen has insisted that his comments were taken out of context.

"Can there be any doubt my comment is being misinterpreted and taken completely out of context?" Hansen said in a statement. "It was not, and is not, my intention to demean women at any time. It is apparent that the intent of my remarks has been misinterpreted, the true goal of the message lost and for that I apologize to those who took offense."

The State Rep. also explained that he was referencing another lawmaker's speech when he made the comment. He initially defended his comment Tuesday as "a well founded strategy." But on Wednesday, Hansen admitted "embarrassment" over his word choice, according to The Boston Globe.

The email was first divulged by New Hampshire blogger "Susan the Bruce," who posted a screenshot of the email on her site.