On Friday, State Rep. Ernest Hewett (D) of Connecticut made a rather odd remark to a 17-year-old witness talking about overcoming her shyness while talking about the Connecticut Science Center. The girl stated, “I am usually a very shy person, and now I am more outgoing …. I was able to teach those children about certain things like snakes that we have and the turtles that we have … I want to do something toward that, working with children when I get older.” Later, she added, “I never liked snakes … they’re my best friends, Alex and Austin, they’re awesome.”

Innocuous and charming.

Rep. Hewett, not so much. “If you’re bashful,” he said, “I got a snake sitting under my desk here.” 

He did not, at the time, have an actual snake under his desk. 

Hewett has been stripped of his leadership title and issued an apology.