Sen. Leonard Christian does not apologize as fellow lawmakers and advocates condemn his remarks on disabled people

OLYMPIA – Responding to a controversy this week, Sen. Leonard Christian said in a statement Friday he now understands “that my remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday have given offense to some members of the developmentally disabled community.”

“That certainly was not my intent, and I have had great conversations these last few days about outdated terms that once were commonly used but are no longer considered acceptable in today’s society,” Christian, R-Spokane Valley, said in the statement.

Provided to The Spokesman-Review Friday afternoon, the statement comes after pushback from lawmakers and disability rights groups over Christian’s use of a slur when referring to those with developmental disabilities during floor debate Wednesday afternoon.

Christian was arguing that he was against ending a program for disabled people accused of sex crimes, arguing other disabled people would be at risk from being forced together with the offenders. The remark drew audible gasps on the Senate floor, while a Republican senator sitting behind Christian appeared to wince.

Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, apologized for Christian’s remarks as the Senate opened its session Thursday, though he did not identify the senator by name.

“There were some comments made during that debate that, frankly, I found offensive, I was embarrassed by, I was, frankly, saddened to hear them spoken,” Braun said.

Christian’s statement stopped short of a formal apology, and he reiterated his concerns with the legislation that lawmakers were debating on Wednesday. After the session concludes next week, Christian said he looks forward “to meeting with members of the developmentally disabled community to discuss their agenda and how we might be able to address this issue while protecting individuals who are under the state’s care.”

Stacy Dym, executive director of The Arc of Washington State, said in a statement Friday that Christian’s comments are “unacceptable in all contexts, and they unfortunately contribute to the further erosion of the humanity of people with developmental disabilities who deserve to live and work as valued members of their communities.”

The Arc of Washington is the state’s oldest intellectual and developmental disabilities rights organization.

While the R-word has long been considered a slur to refer to those with mental disabilities, it has seen increased usage and acceptance, largely among some conservatives in recent years. In April 2025, podcaster Joe Rogan declared that the word was back, which he said was “one of the great culture victories.”

Dym said that while the word initially derived from a medically neutral term, it “quickly became a cruel insult that carried the painful weight of discrimination, harassment, stigma, and prejudice.”

“Language matters, especially from our leaders, and this word is no longer acceptable to use outside of historical documents,” Dym said.

Faced with a challenging budget cycle, lawmakers are currently considering a $30 million cut in funding to services provided by the Developmental Disabilities Community Services. The House of Representatives also is considering eliminating physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy coverage for adults enrolled in Apple Health.

“If the legislature truly wants to prioritize the humanity of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, they should pay close attention to what’s in their budgets and their current proposal to effectively shut the front door on disability services in Washington state,” Dym said in a statement.

In a joint statement Friday, Reps. Mike Volz, R-Spokane; Jenny Graham, R-Spokane; Suzanne Schmidt, R-Spokane Valley; and Rob Chase, R-Spokane Valley, condemned Christian’s remarks.

“Words matter. When language undermines the dignity of others, it weakens our ability to have serious conversations about the policies that affect vulnerable people,” the statement says. “We regret that this moment occurred and believe it is important to say clearly that the language used was inappropriate and should not be part of the dialogue in the Washington State Legislature.”