Bettie Cook Scott
{{Short description|American politician (born 1953)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Bettie Cook Scott
| image =
| caption =
|state_house1 = Michigan
|district1 = 2nd
| term_start1 = January 1, 2017
| term_end1 = December 31, 2018
| predecessor1 = Alberta Tinsley-Talabi
| successor1 = Joe Tate
|state_house2 = Michigan
|district2 = 3rd
| term_start2 = January 1, 2007
| term_end2 = December 31, 2010
| predecessor2 = LaMar Lemmons III
| successor2 = Alberta Tinsley-Talabi
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|5|31}}
| birth_place = Alabama
| party = Democratic
}}
Bettie Cook Scott (born May 31, 1953) is an American Democratic Party politician who served in the Michigan House of Representatives from the 2nd district from 2017 to 2018. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from the 3rd district from 2007 to 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.housedems.com/cook-scott|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109131101/http://www.housedems.com/cook-scott|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 9, 2018|title=News From Rep. Cook Scott|publisher=housedems.com|access-date=August 19, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/01/meet_michigans_new_representat.html|title=Meet Michigan's new state lawmakers|publisher=MLive.com|date=January 9, 2017|access-date=August 19, 2018}}
Between 2007 and 2010 Representative Scott worked to amend the Driver Responsibility Act of 2003 while serving on the Michigan House's Labor committee and Regulatory Reform committee.{{cite web |url=http://www.housedems.com/cook-scott |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414221015/http://www.housedems.com/cook-scott |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2018 |title=Bettie Cook Scott |last=Michigan House Democrats |date=April 14, 2018 |website=housedems.com |publisher=Michigan House Democrats |access-date=2019-02-05}} In her final year she proclaimed success at repealing the driver responsibility fees resulting from that act through legislation passed in 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QbDuI6OFM0 |title=Rep. Bettie Cook Scott Supports Repealing Driver Responsibility Fees |last=Michigan House Democrats |date=February 16, 2018 |website=housedems.com |publisher=Michigan House Democrats |access-date=2019-02-05}}
Controversy
During the 2018 Democratic primary for the state Senate, Scott made racist remarks towards people of Asian heritage, including to her opponent, Michigan state representative Stephanie Chang.{{cite news|author=Chasmar, Jessica|title=Bettie Cook Scott, Michigan Democrat, under fire for allegedly calling Asian opponent 'ching-chang'|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/aug/16/bettie-cook-scott-black-democrat-under-fire-allege/|work=The Washington Times|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=August 19, 2018}}{{cite news|author=Lou, Michelle|title=Michigan Lawmaker Under Fire For Alleged Racial Slurs Against Asian Opponent|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michigan-lawmaker-racial-slur_us_5b75da49e4b05906b4119cb5|work=HuffPost|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=August 19, 2018}} Witnesses reported Scott calling Chang and her volunteers "ching chong" or "ching chang" and accusing one of Chang's campaign volunteers of being an "immigrant", saying "you don't belong here" and "I want you out of my country."{{Citation|author=Michigan Department of Civil Rights|title=MDCR to Rep. Scott: "An Apology is Not Enough"|url=https://www.michigan.gov/som/0,4669,7-192-47796-475416--,00.html|date=August 17, 2018|access-date=June 21, 2019}}{{Citation|author=Afana, Dana|url=https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2018/08/michigan_lawmaker_apologizes_f.html|title=Apology 'not enough,' says state on lawmaker who uttered racial slurs|date=August 17, 2018|work=MLive|access-date=June 21, 2019}} Chang's husband, an African-American man, reported hearing Scott saying that it "disgusts [Scott] seeing black people holding signs for these Asians and not supporting their own people," and that he was a "fool" for marrying Chang.{{cite news|author=Ikonomova, Violet|title=Detroit Rep. Bettie Cook Scott on Asian opponent: 'Don't vote for the ching-chong!'|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/08/16/detroit-rep-bettie-cook-scott-on-asian-opponent-dont-vote-for-the-ching-chong|work=Detroit Metro Times|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126174615/https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/08/16/detroit-rep-bettie-cook-scott-on-asian-opponent-dont-vote-for-the-ching-chong|url-status=dead}}
Stephanie Chang commented on Scott's remarks, saying "These comments are offensive to all Asian-Americans. It isn't about me. It's about an elected official disrespecting entire populations, whether they be Asian-American, immigrant, or residents of Sen. District 1 or [Scott's] own current house district."
Scott has since made an apology for her remarks, and did not deny the accusations. Through a representative, she released a statement saying, "I deeply regret the comments I made that have proven hurtful to so many. Those are words I never should have said. I humbly apologize to Representative Chang, her husband, Mr. Gray, and to the broader Asian American community for those disparaging remarks. In the divisive age we find ourselves in, I should not contribute further to that divisiveness. I have reached out to Representative Chang to meet with her so that I may apologize to her in person. I pray she and the Asian American community can find it in their hearts to forgive me."{{cite web|author=Ikonomova, Violet|title=Michigan representative apologizes for racial slurs against Asian opponent|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/08/16/michigan-rep-apologizes-for-racial-slurs-against-asian-opponent|work=Detroit Metro Times|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-date=July 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711184138/https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/08/16/michigan-rep-apologizes-for-racial-slurs-against-asian-opponent|url-status=dead}}
Absence
After the loss of the state Senate primary election on August 7, 2018, Scott never returned to the state House in Lansing to pursue the business of her constituents, missing 197 votes for her entire term of office (2017–18). This was despite her assertion on September 23 that she looked forward to serve her constituents. By November 2018, the Michigan House's business office had effectively de facto taken over her office's duties until the end of her term, including addressing the needs of the residents of the 2nd House district in her stead.{{cite news|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/11/26/bettie-cook-scott-absent-from-job-since-calling-asian-senate-rival-a-ching-chong|title=Bettie Cook Scott absent from job since calling Asian Senate rival a 'ching-chong'|last=Culham|first=Devin|date=26 November 2018|work=Detroit Metro Times| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603001850/https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/11/26/bettie-cook-scott-absent-from-job-since-calling-asian-senate-rival-a-ching-chong|url-status=live |archive-date=3 June 2019}}{{cite web |last1=LeBlanc |first1=Beth |title=House business office takes over offices for long-absent Detroit legislator |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/11/23/house-business-takes-over-absent-detroit-legislator/2093133002/ |website=Detroit News |date=November 26, 2018}}
References
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Category:Anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States
Category:Women state legislators in Michigan
Category:African-American state legislators in Michigan
Category:Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives
Category:20th-century American women
Category:20th-century African-American people
Category:21st-century African-American women politicians
Category:21st-century African-American politicians