PIERRE, SD. – A legislator has apologized for his use of words on the House floor yesterday. SB26, a bill to revise the definition of a practitioner for the purpose of medicinal marijuana was being debated. Representative Steven Haugaard of Sioux Falls was talking about girl he knew who began her drug use with marijuana.
During a speech on the House floor on Thursday on SB 26, Rep. Steve Haugaard (R-Sioux Falls) referred to a woman he knew personally as a “wrung-out whore.” Discussion at the time was centered on SB 26 that deals with access to medical marijuana.
Haugaard spoke in opposition to the bill, and marijuana in general, relating a story about a young women he knew whom he felt used marijuana as a gateway to harder drugs.
“Over the years, she used marijuana and thought it was okay,” Haugaard said. “And she continued to use that until she discovered that wasn’t quite a ‘big enough kick.’ And then she decided, maybe meth was the answer. So then she started using meth. And now she’s in her early 30s. She was a beautiful young girl. And a sweet kid. She is now kind of a run-out whore. Because she is prostituting herself out for drugs. Over and over again.
Haugaard was jeered by his fellow lawmakers and then cut off by the acting House Speaker, who asked him to keep discussion to the bill at hand.
Governor Kristi Noem and other female lawmakers spoke out against his comments, calling it “misogynistic” and “aggression toward women.” Noem has asked the Speaker and the House to formally reprimand and censure Haugaard
Haugaard is challenging Noem in the republican primary for Governor.
