A white Tennessee lawmaker has asked for forgiveness on the House floor after he made a racially offensive joke hours before to a black representative.
Earlier that Monday, while chairing a House panel, Carter had made the offhand remark about Democratic Rep. Joe Towns while trying to get his attention.
The remark quickly garnered criticism online. Other Democratic black lawmakers declared the comment was particularly inappropriate given the recent protests around the U.S. against police brutality and racism.
