Democratic congressman uses racial slur during hearing with top Biden official, who is black, blames ‘heat of the moment’

Maryland Rep. David Trone apologized after he hurled a racial slur at a Black woman who is one of the top officials in the Biden administration during a March 21 budget hearing.

Trone, a 68-year-old Democrat elected in 2018 and running for the U.S. Senate during his third term in Congress, claimed he tripped over his words and misspelled them while attempting to say the word “bugaboo” but as a substitute shouted the racist trope during the exchange sentences with Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Budget and Management, who is black.

Trone’s use of the slur was inexplicable and seemed out of context as he discussed business competition, profits and losses, and the impact of corporate tax rates, which he believed didn’t hurt his business.

“Can you compete? Can you do it better than another competitor? Is it possible to create a working profit and loss statement based on this? And the tax rate after the profit and loss statement was never taken into account. “So this Republican bullshit that this is a tax rate that holds back business investment is just flat out wrong for people who have never run a business,” he said. “They’ve never been there. They have no idea what they are talking about.”

The Trone slur is a racist stereotype that has long been used to dehumanize black people, often implying that they’re inferior to white people.

This term is deeply offensive and inappropriate to be used in any context.

There was no indication that Trone had ever been involved in any previous racial controversies, including his use of dog whistle-like terms in his public remarks.

In fact, Trone previously called out racism in his home state 4 years ago, when the country was gripped by protests following the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police.

In June 2020, Trone called attention to a racist likeness posted by someone in Grantsville, Maryland, claiming he contacted local authorities and requested it’s removed immediately.

“If anyone had any doubts, racism is still very much alive in our country. We must fight this disgusting behavior with every bone in our body,” he said he wrote on Facebook then.

But during Thursday’s hearing, Trone – owner of the national chain Total Wine & More – waded right into a self-inflicted racial conflict by uttering racial slurs while praising President Joe Biden’s tax proposals.

Perhaps most remarkable was that he uttered this slur during the testimony of a black woman able of power who often faces intense scrutiny by white men for her credentials or qualifications, resulting in increased diversity and inclusion efforts across the country .

Some voices on social media called Trone’s use of the word disparaging towards Young, while others defended Trone, saying he had no intention of insulting the official.

Young, who is accountable for setting the president’s fiscal agenda, was unfazed at the moment and didn’t reply to Trone’s use of the slur.

During the hearing, she agreed with the congressman that current tax rates for companies and wealthy individuals need to vary.

During the exchange, Trone mentioned that Biden’s proposed budget could help allocate more resources to improving child care and expanding preschool education across the country.

He also gave an example of what number of more people may benefit from food assistance programs if Amazon paid a 21 percent corporate tax rate.

But Trone’s use of a racial slur overshadowed his key economic points and was also notable because he faces a black candidate in the Senate primary to exchange retiring Sen. Ben Cardin.

Angela Alsobrooks, who currently serves as the top public official in Prince George’s County near Washington, D.C., goals to grow to be Maryland’s first black U.S. senator.

New polling data shows the primary is anyone’s race, with 39 percent of voters still undecided, but Trone maintains a 7-point lead over Alsobrooks, who has not yet commented on Trone’s remarks.

After the hearing, Trone apologized in writing, saying he had inadvertently used the insult while addressing a black administration official.

Trone acknowledged that his slip-up was an example of white privilege, referring to the undeserved social benefits that white people enjoy in lots of facets of life because of their race.

“By trying to use the word ‘bugaboo’ during the hearing, I used a phrase that is offensive,” he said. “This word has an extended, dark history. It should never be used anywhere, anytime and in any conversation. I acknowledge that as a white man I even have privilege. As an elected official, I’m accountable for the words I take advantage of – especially in the heat of the moment. Regardless of what I desired to say, I shouldn’t have used that language.

Throughout his Senate campaign, Trone courted black voters by voicing support for reparations and criminal justice reforms.

Trone’s name has been rising amongst black voters as he has supported bills to right historic racial injustices, including co-sponsoring the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and laws that might eliminate the requirement for employers to inform employers a few job applicant’s criminal history.

He also founded the Second Chance Task Force in 2023 to advocate for policies that help individuals re-enter society after serving their sentences.

Time will tell whether Trone’s mistake in the House hurts his possibilities, as he was widely predicted to defeat Alsobrooks in the upcoming primary and face former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan for the Senate seat in November.

Alsobrooks has sought to realize popularity amongst black voters in Baltimore, where Trone enjoys strong support.