By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Rep. Dick Marston apologized Friday for referring to the LGBTQ+ community with the term “deviant sexuality” during a House committee hearing Monday saying he’s in his 80s and was uneducated on the subject.
“I come from a generation where my comments were accepted by society,” said Marston, a Manchester Republican, in a news release issued by the NH House communications office. “However, just because I am in my 80s is no excuse to justify my comments. Rather, it is a reminder of the progress our society has made. I am sorry I was late in joining the rest of you who already made that progress.”
His remarks came regarding House Bill 238, at the end of a House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee meeting Monday that was live streamed.
The bill, which was later retained in the committee, would ban what is called the “Gay Panic Defense” used to justify the murder of LGBTQ+ people, according to its sponsor Rep. Josh Query, D-Manchester.
“In a sign of growth and support for LGBTQ+ people, I ask for Rep. Marston to vote in favor of HB 238. I look forward to working with my colleague to help him understand the true impact this bill can have,” Query said Friday.
This bill would prevent someone from using a person’s gender identity, actual or perceived gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation as an excuse for murder while still retaining existing self-defense statutes and recognizing due process, Query said.
The vote to retain the bill means it could be reworked and the committee could vote on it again during the summer. Marston told the committee Monday that the constitution already covers everybody and this bill would amount to a special privilege for one group.
“We’re all the same people. If you kill somebody you should be charged with murder and should be tried on it and there’s no way in heck that you’re going to be able to say it’s because he or she was some deviant sexuality that I’m not,” Marston said Monday.
Committee Chairman Daryl Abbas, R-Salem, immediately stopped Marston Monday, closed the executive session and the committee voted on Wednesday along party lines to retain the bill.
Youtube: Rep. Dick Marston’s Monday comments are near the end of the meeting at 8:20: https://youtu.be/4bvIbrYV6uM
Friday’s news release said the apology came after extensive discussions with House Speaker Sherman Packard’s office. Reached by phone, Marston said he would have no other comment and wouldn’t say if he was disciplined for the comment. No one responded to a request for a comment from Packard’s office.
Although there have been about a half dozen Republican lawmakers accused in recent months of making statements or posting on social media racist, sexist, anti-Semitic and homophobic comments or memes, none have been disciplined.
Packard previously told InDepthNH.org those lawmakers weren’t disciplined because they had all apologized.
Rep. Rosemarie Rung, a Merrimack Democrat, posted a comment in January critical of Troy Police Chief David Ellis for attending the Trump rally the day of the mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Packard stripped Rung of her committee assignment because she refused to apologize. He later demanded she apologize to him and his staff for causing problems by speaking out publicly.
In a letter to House Minorty Leader Rep. Renny Cushing, D-Hampton, Packard accused Rung of acting “beneath the dignity of the House” and committing a “dangerous violation” of the tenet for how things get done in the House of Representatives by calling out Troy Police Chief David Ellis and naming him in a Twitter post.”
Rung said she is still banned from the committee and doesn’t owe anyone an apology.
“Rep. Marston’s comments required an apology and I’m glad he offered it,” Rung said in an email.
Friday’s release said Marston never intended to hurt anyone.
“Before I asked for forgiveness, in my heart I believed that I needed to improve myself and learn from this experience so it would not happen again and more importantly, I could educate others to be respectful of all people including members of the LGBTQ+ Community.
“As I continue my path toward redemption, I pray that the people I offended can find it in their hearts to forgive me and accept my apology. For the people who are not ready to forgive me, I understand. All I ask is that you not give up on me because I give my word that I continue my progress and guide others to being better people,” Marston said.