OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Metro families continue to express outrage over Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen's use of a term they describe as demeaning and insulting to people with disabilities.
The controversy stems from comments Pillen made during a Tuesday night call, where he referred to demonstrators using a derogatory term that combines "liberal" and a slur often used to mock people with intellectual disabilities.
"We had some demonstrators in one of our places today that, uh, wear the, uh, the red thing, whatever the, uh, uh, they're, they're libtards that have lost their brains," Pillen said during the call.
Dominic and Shelley Gillen, whose son has special needs, were listening to the call when Pillen used the term multiple times.
"He did real harm to our most vulnerable population and their families and to me he owes his constituents an apology," Shelley Gillen said.
I reached out to the governor's office and campaign team Wednesday but never received a response. When Pillen appeared at a press conference in Omaha on Friday, I attempted to ask him about his comments and whether he had anything to say to families like the Gillens.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED
However, the governor did not respond to questions about the incident.
The governor's office has not issued any statement regarding the comments.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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