Consultant for White River Junction company utters racial slurs during Vermont Senate meeting
Steven Gayle, a consultant with the Resource Systems Group, was fired after he twice used a racial epithet during a break in a legislative committee meeting on Wednesday.
Modified: 2/4/2021 9:55:11 PM
In a bizarre moment during a virtual meeting of the Vermont Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday, a consultant scheduled to testify uttered a racial slur twice, apparently unaware his microphone was on.
Though the incident was not immediately addressed in committee, video of it later circulated among legislators and Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint, D-Windham, called it “abhorrent.”
By Mallika Kallingal and Rebekah Riess, CNN
Updated 3:58 AM ET, Fri February 5, 2021
Steven Gayle (CNN)A consultant has been fired after he was heard making a racist slur during a break in a Vermont Senate Transportation Committee meeting held via Zoom video conferencing, according to his employer.
The man, identified on the committee s agenda as Steven Gayle, a consultant for Resource Systems Group, Inc., had been scheduled to testify to the committee on Wednesday. His name was also displayed on the Zoom video.
After learning of the incident, Resource Systems Group CEO Stephen Lawe issued an apology on behalf of his company. I apologize to anyone affected by these deplorable remarks. The outburst by an employee of RSG is both regrettable and unforgivable. This kind of behavior is not at all tolerated and the employee was terminated immediately, he said.