Michigan senator to female reporter: High school boys could 'have a lot of fun' with you

LANSING – A state senator is facing widespread criticism and an investigation in the Legislature after telling a female reporter she should stick around at the Capitol because a group of high school students from an all-boys school, touring the Capitol, could “have a lot of fun” with her.

Sen. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township, made the comments outside the Senate chamber Tuesday to a reporter from the Michigan Advance, while surrounded by a group of male high school students from De La Salle Collegiate in Warren.

"You’ve heard of De La Salle, right?” the Michigan Advance quoted Lucido as asking reporter Allison Donahue, who is 22.

When Donahue said she had not, Lucido said: “It’s an all-boys school,” adding: “You should hang around — you could have a lot of fun with these boys, or they could have a lot of fun with you.”

The students then burst into laughter, the online publication reported.

The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate announced Wednesday afternoon they have asked the Senate Business Office to investigate whether the incident violated Senate rules related to sexual harassment.

"Sexual harassment has no place in the Michigan Senate," Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, and Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint,said in a letter to Jordan Hankwitz, who heads the business office.

"We take these allegations very seriously and trust that you will take appropriate action to resolve this matter."

Reached Wednesday morning, Lucido did not dispute the quotes, but said he felt they were being taken out of context and out of proportion. He said he did not feel he owes the reporter an apology.

But Lucido later did apologize for what he called a misunderstanding, in a statement issued through the Michigan Senate Republican Office and Lucido's Twitter account.

“I apologize for the misunderstanding yesterday and for offending Allison Donahue," Lucido said in the statement.

Opinion: Mich. senator's remark to reporter was about sex, power, not harmless small talk

Earlier, Lucido told the Free Press he was "not talking about anything sexual," but was "geeked up about the boys coming there," and "I was there to have some fun."

"It was blown out of proportion." he said.

But Lucido, who has expressed interest in running for governor, is facing sharp criticism. On social media, Lansing political observers said there is no context in which his comments were appropriate.

Even the high school, which Lucido attended, disavowed his comments, saying they "do not represent De La Salle nor the values and conduct we instill in our young men."

"We are very sorry the reporter was put in this position and we have met with the boys who were on the tour to discuss the improper nature of this situation." the school said on its Twitter account.

Shirkey said he views the situation “very seriously." He said he plans "to have a very intense and lengthy private conversation with the senator as soon as we're done with the session."

"If those words that were reported were accurate, it's very unacceptable," he said. "And that's all I've got to say about it.”

Ananich said the comments were disgusting and idiotic and part of a pattern that includes participation in anti-social Facebook groups and treatment of people, especially women, who testify before committees.

"This isn't a case of a person saying a stupid comment that happens when people are human," Ananich said. "When it's a pattern, this becomes who you are.”

Kara Cook, an environmental and energy adviser to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, said on Twitter she was "unfortunately not surprised" by Lucido's remarks.

"I was 23 when I started working in politics in Lansing and the number of inappropriate comments or actions that I’ve personally experienced is hard to comprehend. This needs to stop."

Lonnie Scott, executive director of the liberal group Progress Michigan, said Lucido is "the personification of toxic masculinity and a disgrace to our state."

"We’d call on Lucido to apologize but we know that for men like him, those apologies are often hollow and do nothing to change the culture of objectifying women," Scott said before Lucido issued his statement through the Senate Republican Office.

The reporter, Donahue, wanted to question Lucido about him posting messages on an anti-Whitmer Facebook group where some members had posted messages advocating violence against Democrats and Muslims.

Lucido said he shared posts about Whitmer budget vetoes, but was not aware of the racist posts, or ones advocating violence.

"I don't read all of these sites," he said Wednesday.

House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, also issued a statement late Wednesday. "If he said that, that kind of behavior is completely inappropriate and it never should have happened," Chatfield said.

House Minority Leader Christine Greig, D-Farmington Hills, praised Donahue for speaking up about what happened and writing about it. She said the incident is "a testament to the changing times, and a reminder that those who are incapable of growing up and admitting their flaws will be left behind.”

De La Salle has been the subject of controversy recently over a football hazing scandal that abruptly ended the team’s season on the eve of playoffs, got three students suspended, cost the coach his job and triggered a lawsuit against the school.

The hazing scandal involves allegations that football players sexually taunted and poked younger teammates’ buttocks with broomsticks as part of an initiation process. There was no penetration. The alleged victims were clothed, but held facedown on the floor while someone prodded their buttocks with a broomstick.

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Free Press staff writer Tresa Baldas contributed to this report..

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.