A state senator from Indiana is apologizing for a fat-shaming, “offensive” Facebook post that trivialized the millions of women who marched during national protests Saturday as “fat women out walking.”
Jack E. Sandlin, a Republican state senator who represents Indiana’s Johnson and Marion counties, shared the post on his personal Facebook page Sunday, one day after more than 2.5 million women and men flooded streets in the nation��s capital during the Women’s March on Washington.
“In one day, Trump got more fat women out walking than Michelle Obama did in 8 years,” read the post on Sandlin’s Facebook account, which is now peppered with critics calling on him to resign while others said he’s the reason the women marched in the first place.
Sandlin, in a statement to The Post, confirmed that the “offensive” message appeared on his Facebook page.
“It’s unclear to me how this ended up on my page, but I have removed it,” Sandlin said in the statement. “This message in no way represents my views toward women and I sincerely apologize to anyone who may have seen it.”
A spokesman for Sandlin did not reply to a message seeking additional comment, including whether Sandlin believes someone else posted the image to his account or if he intends to elaborate on the matter.
The post has since been removed, as well as a follow-up message posted at about midnight Monday, according to the Indianapolis Star.
“Apparently, there is an offensive post on Facebook that’s attributed to me about women in Washington marching,” Sandlin wrote. “Not sure how that ended up on my Facebook wall but that certainly does not reflect my opinion of women. People who know me will know that’s not my view.”
Most commenters on Sandlin’s latest post don’t buy the lawmaker’s explanation.
“As a Hoosier, I am once more deeply embarrassed by the blatant disrespect shown by those, AKA you, who are the representation of us all,” one comment read. “At the very least take responsibility and give these women the apology they deserve!”
Others called on him to resign over what they believe to be a blatant lie about how the image got onto his Facebook page.
“The last thing America needs is another ignorant, lying politician,” another comment read. “Please do us all, especially your constituents, a favor … Resign. Also, don’t forget to issue a public apology for sharing such ignorant garbage and then lying about it.”
Sandlin, a married father of one daughter, told the Indianapolis Star he thinks someone else posted the message on his Facebook page.
“I don’t believe that I put it there,” Sandlin told the newspaper. “There’s always an outside chance that I could have hit something. I know others that have had stuff show up on their Facebook wall as well.”
Sandlin was elected to the state Senate in November after six years on the Indianapolis City-County Council and two decades with the Indianapolis Police Department. He now serves as president of a fraud investigation firm, Jack Sandlin & Associates, according to his campaign website.