Lawmaker apologizes after inserting colleague’s name into book rape scene

Nebraska state Sen. Steve Halloran apologized Tuesday for reading a sexually graphic passage during debate over an obscenity bill and inserting a colleague’s name into the text — a moment that sparked widespread outrage and calls for his resignation from across the political spectrum.

The Republican lawmaker had addressed his remarks on Monday to “Senator Cavanaughs,” referring to the sibling Democrats Machaela and John Cavanaugh, and then began reading the description of a rape in the memoir “Lucky.” As he did, however, he substituted “Senator Cavanaugh” in the passage. At one point, he said it directly after a character asks for a graphic sexual act.