Artiles Apologizes But Remains Under Fire

1137
SHARE

Gibson, who kept her back turned to Artiles throughout his nearly four-minute speech, later called Artiles’ apology “meaningless.” She said Artiles unleashed the invectives in reaction to Gibson’s questioning the Republican’s amendments during committee meetings last week.

“It’s just ugly, in any setting, and totally unacceptable. I doubt that he would talk to his wife that way. I don’t guess that he does, or any other woman that he cares about, or any other people that he cares about,” she said, adding that Artiles’ explanation for his use of a word that is so heavily charged for African Americans put a “little ding” in his show of remorse.

Artiles, a tough-talking U.S. Marine veteran, insisted that he did not direct the word at anyone in particular.

“The most important thing is very simple. I was not targeting anybody with the word. It was a generality,” he told reporters Wednesday.

“I don’t even know how to respond to that. Maybe he’s well-insulated. I don’t know,” Gibson said when told of Artiles’ comments.