WATCH: Republican legislator apologizes after grabbing mic from Democrat rival
Republican legislator Duane Quam said he regretted his actions after he grabbed a microphone from Democrat Jamie Mahlberg during a debate at Rochester Public Library in Minnesota, Oct. 8.
Footage shows Mahlberg having just finished responding to a question on education, when Quam grabs the microphone from her hand, prompting her to recoil.
After giving his answer, Quam tries to hand Mahlberg the microphone, but she does not take it. He drops the microphone on the desk in front of her, at which point she raises her eyebrows.
Quam was much criticized on social media when a clip of the incident began circulating. He told the Post-Bulletin that he regretted his actions, which he put down to nerves. He said he was not as graceful as he should have been and offered an apology to Mahlberg.
Mahlberg told online news site Splinter that she found his actions disrespectful. JB
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