WASHINGTON — The Maryland House of Delegates voted 136-0 Thursday to censure Del. Mary Ann Lisanti over her use of a racial slur to describe Prince George’s County.
Lisanti, a Democratic delegate for Harford County, reportedly referred to Prince George’s County as an “n-word district” during an after-hours event at an Annapolis bar.
Lisanti apologized to leaders of Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus Monday night, but that wasn’t enough to quell calls for punishment and, in some circles, for the delegate to resign.
The following day, House Speaker Michael E. Busch said had removed Lisanti as chair of the unemployment insurance subcommittee of the House Economic Matters Committee. Lisanti has since been stripped of her committee assignments as well.
“While I believe her apology was heartfelt, the damage among her colleagues and the public has been done,” Busch said in a written statement released Tuesday.
According to Busch, Lisanti has also agreed to attend sensitivity training.
Censure is an admonition of extreme disapproval from Lisanti’s peers, and a rare occurrence in the Maryland legislature. The last lawmaker to be censured in the state was state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-Prince George’s), who had been accused of ethics violations discovered during an investigation of allegations he had accepted bribes to help benefit a supermarket chain. Currie was eventually acquitted of all charges in that case.
Following Thursday's vote, Busch released a second statement about Lisanti:
"This evening, the Maryland House of Delegates took the extraordinary action to censure one of our own, Delegate Mary Ann Lisanti.
Delegate Lisanti’s use of a racial slur to describe an entire community is inexcusable. Her actions have caused hurt and disappointment among legislators and the general public. This behavior has become a distraction to the important work that these dedicated public servants do each and every day in the legislature.
As Speaker, I will not allow this House to be torn apart by hurtful and divisive slurs. I demand that every member treat each other with the respect and dignity that they deserve – and treat the citizens of Maryland that way.
In addition to the censure and taking her leadership positions, I have stripped Delegate Lisanti of her committee assignment so she will no longer serve on the House Economic Matters Committee.
Delegate Lisanti has a lot of work to do to rebuild her relationships with her colleagues, her constituents and the people of Maryland. I hope she is ready and prepared to put in the effort for the long road ahead."
A censure means Lisanti will be allowed to remain in her position as delegate – although with reduced influence now that she has been removed from her committee assignments. She has said she will not resign, instead saying she will try to “repent” for her use of the slur.
