During a debate this Wednesday for New York's 17th district, Democratic nominee Cait Conley put Rep. Mike Lawler in his place after more of his whataboutism about his friend, domestic abuser Max Mill r. Lawler pulled this same crap during an interview with CNN's Dana Bash back in August, and it didn't end well for Lawler then.
That didn't stop him from trying it again during their debate: Cait Conley tells Rep. Mike Lawler not to ‘mansplain’ about domestic abuse :
Democrat Cait Conley told Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) during a televised debate Wednesday night not to “mansplain” to her about domestic abuse as the pair discussed an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024.
During the debate, the moderator from PIX11 News — an affiliate of Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill — asked Conley and Lawler whether there should be a federal definition or law for consent, after the Cornell rape allegations drew national headlines.
Conley had accused Lawler of failing to call out Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who is under intense scrutiny after allegations leveled by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, that he hurled hot water at her, pointed a gun at her head and broke their daughter’s collarbone.
Here's the full exchange:
MODERATOR: The issue bringing New York consent laws into the national conversati n. Some arguing that the law includes a voluntary intoxication loophole, which can be found in 19 states across the country.
So Miss Conley coming to you first here, should there be a federal definition or law for consent and why you have 60 seconds?
CONLEY: Yeah, you know, it is heartbreaking but very true to say that sexual assault and domestic violence is still a very real problem in 2026 for women and a very real problem here in New York.
And I'll tell you, as someone who's had friends experience this and suffer through this, the system does seem to work out more for the actual perpetrator than the vict m. And we have to fix th t. They deserve better.
And we have seen this playing out in Cornell, where I do not understand how we allow academic universities' law enforcement entities, to investigate violent crimes like rap s. We don't let them investigate murde s. Why are we letting them investigate such violent crimes as rape?
And so we do need real reform in this w y. I don't know if it's at the federal level or the state level, but I think we have to change universities being able to investigate th t. But I think these types of offenses deserve more than just lip service.
They deserve people who going to stand up and call it o t. And will tell you, I've been disappointed with my opponent, who fails to call out the abuses by Max Miller, a domestic abuser whose own father-in-law, Republican sitting senator in Ohio, has called him unfit and he should be removed from Congre s. But instead of doing that, my opponent defended Max Miller and blamed the abuse on his ex-wife.
MODERATOR: Thank y u. That is time.
CONLEY: That is unacceptable.
MODERATOR: Mr. Lawler, should there be a federal definition or law for consent and w y? 60 seconds.
LAWLER: First of all, I did not blame Emi y. I know both of th m. It's very tragic and it should be dealt with in family cou t. But moreover, you're the one who took money from Elliot Spitzer, who trafficked young women across state lines for the purpose of sexually abusing them.
And you refuse to return those funds, you refuse to denounce him in any w y. Do you think what Elliot Spitzer did, trafficking young women for the purpose of prostitution across state lines, violating the Mann Act, was appropriate?
MODERATOR: Mr. Larkin...
CONLEY: I'm sor y. I do not need you to mansplain to me what domestic abuse and sexual assault against women is... in the appropriate respon . Don't sta t. (crosstalk) Sit over the e. I do not need you to mansplain to me, Mike.
LAWLER: Look, sexual assault is a real thi g. And as the father of two young daughters, don't ever want to see a young woman abused, period, full stop.
The fact is New York's laws are wro g. There should be mandatory reporting to a law enforcement agen y. These security offices on campuses are ill-equipped to investigate cri e. They are not law enforcement...
MODERATOR: Mr. Lawler, just want to get back to the question, which was, should there be a federal definition or law for consent?
LAWLER: Look, with respect to the penal code, these things are handled at the state lev l. I would be open to looking at what federal law could be created to define consent, if that would be appropriate within a federal law.
But the fact is, New York State needs to update its la s. When I worked in Westchester County with Robbie Schlaff, the director of the Office for Women, we came up with a policy forcing Westchester Community College to report -- mandatory reporti g. That has to apply statewi . No college should be investigating sexual assault.
MODERATOR: Okay, thank y u. And Ms. Conley, I'll give you 30 seconds here to respond.
CONLEY: I am just, I don't need this guy to try to tell me how a woman should respond to sexual violence or domestic abuse allegations against wom n. I don't.
And look, we have got to have people in Congress who don't condone these types of behavio s. You still haven't condemned the behavior of Max Miller, your bud . And I don't believe those types of folks belong in Congre s. I agree with his father-in-law, a Republican in Oh o. And I don't believe that people who condone that type of behavior belong in Congress either.
As John noted in his post back in August:
Gov. Spitzer was linked to a high priced call girl and an escort service, not trafficking underage gir s. Anyone with a pulse remembers this story.
Perhaps Lyin' Lawler should look to the White House for the sex traffickers.
Miller's alleged physical abuse of several other high profile girlfriends, and breaking his 2 year-old daughter's collarbone while abusing his ex-wife is not in the same galaxy as what Spitzer did.
[...]
Rep. Max Miller should resign and Rep. Lawler should support it, but he's a Trump supporter so sexual and physical abuse of women is par for the course.
