A Nebraska Lawmaker Incites Outrage Over the Reading of a Book’s Rape Scene

A Republican state lawmaker in Nebraska wanted to make a point about explicit content in school-sanctioned books. But his decision to name two Democrats during his reading of a graphic rape scene has led to calls for his resignation.

During a debate on Monday about legislation that would tighten restrictions on the content of books used in schools, the lawmaker, State Senator Steve Halloran, read a passage from a book that he said could be found in more than a dozen public libraries across the state.

The passage from the book, the Alice Sebold memoir “Lucky,” described a sexual assault she experienced as a young woman. After giving a brief warning and asking parents to tell their young children to leave the room or mute the broadcast if they were watching online, Mr. Halloran stood on the floor of the State Capitol in Lincoln and interjected the names of two of his Democratic colleagues — Machaela Cavanaugh and her brother, John — into the text as he read it aloud.

At one point, he inserted “Senator Cavanaugh” while reading a section in which Ms. Sebold described a man demanding oral sex from her. It was not clear if Mr. Halloran was referring to Mr. or Ms. Cavanaugh.

Shortly after Mr. Halloran finished reading the passage with his interjections, Ms. Cavanaugh responded, tearfully calling his altering of the passage unnecessary harassment that diminished the integrity of the legislation they were debating.

“Let’s have a real conversation,” she said to Mr. Halloran. “But don’t start reading rape scenes and saying my name over and over again. You don’t know anything about anyone else’s life and I can tell you that women in this body have been subject to sexual violence. I didn’t know you were capable of such cruelty.”