Vic Ryckaert, and Chelsea Schneider

IndyStar

House Speaker Brian Bosma on Tuesday declined to demote an Indiana lawmaker despite a request from an advocate for victims of domestic violence.

Earlier Tuesday, Laura Berry, executive director for the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said Rep. Jim Lucas should no longer hold a leadership position after he shared a series of images on Facebook that she deemed “sexist and misogynistic.”

Bosma said Lucas, R-Seymour, “truly understands how some people could find what he had posted as a joke offensive, especially with our partners for a long time” at the Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Lucas issued an apology and removed the controversial posts, said Bosma, R-Indianapolis. Lucas will remain in his House Republican caucus leadership role.

Berry had said Lucas should be stripped of his appointed position as assistant majority whip.

"Obviously Rep. (Jim) Lucas is displaying a very sexist and misogynistic approach to women," she said.

After the posts were removed, Berry said the coalition accepted Lucas’ apology.

“This is a start, and we appreciate him doing so,” she said. “We appreciate those (images) being taken down and now we’ll be very much looking forward to working with him in the future and making certain future actions are reflective of the apology he issued.”

On Dec. 19, Lucas shared on his page the photo of a woman in a car trunk with the words: "Wanna know who loves you more your wife or your dog? Lock them both in your trunk and see who's happy to see you when you let them out."

This week, Lucas was criticized for a Facebook post he shared over the weekend that showed a police officer in riot gear pepper spraying a woman in the face, with the words: “Participation trophies, now in liquid form.”

Another Republican lawmaker, Sen. Jack Sandlin, R-Indianapolis, also is facing a social media backlash for a post shared on Facebook on Sunday that called the participants in a series of women's marches “fat women out walking.” Sandlin removed the post and said he did not believe he put it there.

Speaking about his posts, Lucas told IndyStar on Tuesday that he took the concerns seriously, and he won’t take similar actions.

“I can guarantee that’s not going to happen again,” Lucas said. “My posts moving forward are going to be a little more filtered in light of this situation.”

Lucas' Facebook page had rapidly filled with comments from supporters urging those who feel insulted to lighten up — as well as from opponents calling on him to resign. Some used threatening and coarse language in the comments.

"I met with Jim this morning along with a number of women on our senior staff as we discussed the impropriety of his Facebook posts," Bosma said in the statement.

"I believe he sincerely understands the viewpoints of the Coalition (Against Domestic Violence) and of those who found the posts offensive, including me, and that he made a poor decision," Bosma said. "Jim has indicated that he will issue a formal apology and take down the posts.”

In a Facebook post, Lucas said it “was not my intent to make light of domestic violence or violence towards women. These issues are something that we must continue to address. … For those that know me, you know that I genuinely care about all people and would never condone such actions and would be the first person to step in to help a person in need.”

On Monday, Bosma defended Lucas while calling the pepper spray post “inadvisable.”

"He didn’t intend to insult anyone, but I personally found it to be inappropriate,” Bosma said then.

Berry had voiced strong concerns about the posts.

"I found his memes very disgraceful not only to women but his ones specifically regarding veterans," Berry said. "I know many veterans and many Marines who do not treat women in the same context that he implied with his post."

Berry also said she had wanted someone to hold Lucas accountable.

"There needs to be some type of action to show this type of behavior is not acceptable."

Allison Carter contributed to this story.

Call IndyStar reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @vicryc.

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