DOWNEY - Assembly Majority Leader Charles Calderon is facing backlash from a female caucus after he allegedly made "degrading and inappropriate" remarks about a California Supreme Court justice."It's unclear what, exactly, Calderon said, but during a legislative hearing in Sacramento, the lawmaker apparently made comments about the looks of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye. In a letter to Calderon requesting an apology, Sen. Noreen Evans, head of the Legislative Women's Caucus, called the assemblyman's remarks "degrading and inappropriate." As the leader of California's Judiciary, Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye should be taken seriously and not spoken about in such a dismissive and frivolous manner," Evans wrote. "It is crucial that women be valued for more than just being 'nice or attractive.' Your comments reinforced stereotypes women fight against every day -- that of being judged on our appearance instead of our intellect and accomplishments." In an interview with the L.A. Times, Calderon called Evans' assertions a "sideshow" before adding, "I certainly apologize if anybody misunderstood (his comments)." Calderon represents most of Downey in the state Assembly.

********** Published: May 5, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 3