Idaho lawmaker who lost committees over remarks on sexual favors is reinstated

The North Idaho lawmaker whose insulting comments about female colleagues led to her removal from three House committees last month was reinstated to those committees Wednesday.

The reinstatement of Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, closes a disruptive chapter that has interfered with House proceedings and disrupted relationships within the House Republican majority.

House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, removed Scott from her committees on Jan. 12 for her comments that female lawmakers only advance in leadership through sexual favors. A war of words between the speaker and House leaders on one side, and Scott and her allies on the other, has waxed and waned since.

Scott has made rounds of apologies, both public and in meetings with colleagues. On the House floor Tuesday, the clerk read revised committee assignments that restored Scott to Commerce, Environment and State Affairs committees.

After adjournment, Bedke gave reporters a written statement saying that Scott “has acknowledged that what she said and did, on numerous occasions, was wrong.”

The rest of the statement:

“She seems to have taken ownership and responsibility for her offensive comments. She has made efforts to apologize to those who were personally harmed or offended by her statements and actions. It’s unfortunate that it took her this long to do so, but that is all I required her to do. I expect her future actions to confirm her sincerity. I hope she has learned something from this that will make her a better legislator.”

Scott said her reinstatement was “long overdue.”

“I had apologized lots of times to the same people over and over,” she said. “I think the citizens have been very vocal on this. My district is enraged by what’s happening and how their voice has been suppressed.”

This story was originally published February 1, 2017 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Idaho lawmaker who lost committees over remarks on sexual favors is reinstated."