HARRISBURG, PA — Democrats in Harrisburg are calling for Republican Daryl Metcalfe to be pulled from his position as Republican chair of the State Government Committee. In a meeting on December 6, Democratic chair of the committee Matt Bradford touched Metcalfe’s arm while making a point, and Metcalfe interrupted Bradford, saying, “Representative Bradford, look, I’m a heterosexual. I have a wife, I love my wife. I don’t like men, as you might. But stop touching me all the time.” Bradford is married to a woman and has four children.

Democrats are howling in protest. Gov. Tom Wolf has urged Republican leadership to consider removing Metcalfe from his committee chairmanship. But Metcalfe is reveling in the attention a viral video of the moment (www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8N0SFdDNug) has sparked.

Metcalfe posted on his Facebook page, “I publicly reprimanded a Democrat legislator for putting his hand on my arm after I told him to stop touching me at a previous meeting. His behavior has been a pattern for months. The words I used were planned and chosen with a purpose to expose his inappropriate actions. I did not expect the result to be a viral video and international/national media interest. That was an extra bonus. Some in the media have turned the perpetrator, who was making unwanted physical contact, into a VICTIM! The homosexual supporting leftists have been contacting my office to express their hate in profane vulgar ways that have shocked my staff who have received the majority of the calls and electronic communications.”

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party responded with a press release it. It said, “State Representative Daryl Metcalfe has always been a problem in Harrisburg. He has invited white supremacists to the capitol to testify on behalf of his positions, defended white nationalists, and refused to condemn racist violence.

“Enough is enough. Daryl Metcalfe is a walking, talking embarrassment to Pennsylvanians and doesn’t deserve the honor of serving in public office,” said Brandon Cwalina, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. “For years Metcalfe has taken policy positions based on bigoted misconceptions and fear of minority groups and the LGBT community, but today he has gone beyond the pale. We are again calling on Daryl Metcalfe to resign and to apologize to all Pennsylvanians for his ridiculously bigoted behavior.”