Republican Pa. House member hurled slurs about a gay lawmaker at a crowded Harrisburg bar
State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, whose 8thLegislative District covers parts of Butler and Lawrence counties north of Pittsburgh, uttered the insults about Philadelphia state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta in a crowded McGrath’s Pub, according to Michael Ford, the secretary/treasurer of the Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council.
Bernstine did not respond to a message seeking comment from PennLive.
Kenyatta, who declined to comment, is openly gay and has purposefully lost considerable weight over the last few years. He is also a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
While the two lawmakers are at opposite ends of the political spectrum, it was unclear Wednesday what prompted Bernstine to verbally attack Kenyatta, who was not at the bar.
Ford and Bernstine got into a verbal confrontation as the Republican spewed insults about Kenyatta and Robert Bair, the president of the Building Trades Council, who was sitting at a nearby table talking to other people and was not involved in the altercation.
Bernstine called Kenyatta a “gay, black [slur]” and asked in a joking manner if anyone knew why Kenyatta was now “so skinny” before saying it was because he has AIDS, said Ford.