Lawmaker resigns after racist, sexist comment
A former Tennessee lawmaker resigned from the Tennessee Human Rights Commissioner board this month following an internal investigation into remarks some colleagues reported as racist and sexist.
Former Rep. Christopher Crider, who was appointed to the board last year by Lt. Gov. Randy Mcnally, resigned on June 6, a week after the internal investigative findings were forwarded to Gov. Bill Lee’s office.
In March and April, a THRC employee and a board member filed separate reports alleging Crider had made discriminatory or derogatory comments, according to the THRC investigative file reviewed by The Tennessean. Investigators interviewed both complainants, three witnesses and Crider.
Investigators report Crider admitted to making the comments but denied he intended to be discriminatory or use racial stereotypes.
Crider has not responded to a request for comment from The Tennessean.
According to the report, Crider admitted to saying, “if people are going to be driving on my roads, they need to speak English,” during a January meeting, which witnesses considered discriminatory.
During a March meeting, Crider told the second complainant he hopes a doctor used “a tendon from a black fellow because I know it’d be strong.”
According to the report, Crider admitted to investigators that he later made a motion with his arm “complimenting (the complainant) on the enviable stereotype that black folks have a large penis.”
“While Accused denied the comment was intended to be discriminatory or amount to a racial stereotype, Complainant 2 found Accused’s comments to be a racial stereotype and offensive,” investigators found.
During the same meeting, Crider allegedly leaned over to the same complainent after a presentation on a partnership with an LGBTQ+ organization and said they should ask “how babies are made.”
The Crider investigation comes after the General Assembly installed legislative appointees to the Human Rights Commission board following another internal investigation.
In 2022, Human Rights Commission executive director Beverly Watts stepped down following state allegations that she created a toxic work environment through profanity, demeaning language and micromanaging to the point that she required front desk employees to e-mail leadership for permission to use the restroom. Watts resigned but denied the allegations.
Months after Watts’ resignation following an internal investigation, the General Assembly passed new legislation setting all board members’ terms to expire at the end of 2022 and giving the governor, Speaker of the House and Speaker of the Senate the ability to appoint three new members.
At the time, bill sponsor Rep. Chris Todd, R-madison County, told The Tennessean the board was either oblivious of Watts’ actions and or failed to take action, and the legislation was needed to provide “guardrails.”
“The goal of this bill is to put in some guardrails,” Todd said.