Florida state Sen. Frank Artiles (R) used a racial slur while speaking to a pair of black colleagues during a private conversation this week, according to a report in the Miami Herald.

Artiles also called one of his colleagues a "f---ing asshole," a "bitch" and a "girl," the two state senators speaking to Artiles told the Herald.

The remarks were made over drinks at night at a club near the state Capitol.

The state senator used the racial slur in describing how Senate President Joe Negron was elected GOP leader.

Artiles said "six n------" in the GOP caucus had elected Negron.

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State Sens. Audrey Gibson (D) and Perry Thurston (D), who are both African-American, told the Herald that Artiles defended his use of the slur by saying that he had actually been using a slang variation of the slur and that the slang was not meant to be insulting.

Thurston said Artiles also also called Negron a "p---y."

It's not clear who Artiles was referring to with the slurs. The Herald said that there are no black lawmakers in the GOP caucus, and no Democrats backed Negron as GOP leader.

Artiles has since apologized to Gibson and publicly for his remarks.

"In an exchange with a colleague of mine in the Senate, I unfortunately let my temper get the best of me,” Artiles said in a statement. “There is no excuse for the exchange that occurred and I have apologized to my Senate colleagues and regret the incident profusely.”

Negron condemned Artiles's language, saying that "racial slurs and profane, sexist insults have no place in conversation between Senators and will not be tolerated."

The Black Caucus has called an emergency meeting for Wednesday in response to the incident.