Walker Calls DNC Chair’s Remarks About His Treatment Of Women ‘Outrageous’

Gov. Scott Walker says it was “outrageous” for Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, to say that Walker had given women the “back of his hand.”

Wasserman Schultz made her comments at a women’s forum in Milwaukee this week, where on video recorded by Wisconsin Eye, she discussed Walker’s decision to overturn a law that let women sue for gender discrimination in state court.

“Scott Walker has given women the back of his hand. I know that is stark, I know that is direct, but that is reality,” said Wasserman Schultz.

Wasserman Schultz issued a statement on Thursday saying she should not have used the words that she used, but that shouldn’t distract from the broader point she was making.

Walker told reporters in Eau Claire that the statement didn’t qualify as an apology, and that the remarks by Wasserman Schultz were out of bounds.

“It’s just outrageous. Anybody who’s known my time at the county and now the state level knows I’ve worked hand-in-hand with groups that support helping victims of domestic violence. That language is outrageous whether you’re Democrat or Republican. Anyone should be put off by that,” said Walker.

Walker’s Democratic challenger, Mary Burke, said during a stop in La Crosse that she would not have gone as far as Wasserman Schultz.

“I think it was overboard, but these are serious issues that we face in Wisconsin in terms of the policies that Governor Walker has enacted that have hurt women, and whether it is repealing our equal pay protections, whether it’s politicians in Madison messing with women’s health care choices, these are serious issues. But it’s not the language I would choose,” said Burke.

Walker’s campaign sought this week to capitalize on Republican outrage over the remarks from Wasserman Schultz, asking GOP donors to give money to counter the DNC’s message.