Charlie King, the former executive director of the New York Democratic Party, on Wednesday referred to the state's Republican chairman, Ed Cox, with a lewd double entendre that critics are decrying as a gay slur.
King described the Republican leader as a "Cox sucker" in a statement released to reporters.
The comment was a response to Cox characterizing Melissa DeRosa, the newly appointed top deputy to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D.), as a "petty thug," according to reports.
On Monday, Cuomo appointed DeRosa, his chief of staff and communications director, to be his secretary, the top executive post in the governor's office.
Cox subsequently castigated DeRosa via Twitter on Tuesday as a "lobbyist and petty thug" who will "magnify pol [sic] thug Cuomo's worst traits."
King, a longtime Cuomo ally, issued a statement the following day in which he used the lewd play on words.
The statement began cordially, with King touching on his time working together with Cox.
"Despite our ideological differences, the Ed Cox I know believes deeply in this state and this country. He is imminently likable but for the flaw of being Republican," King wrote. "He served with me in the best bipartisan spirit on then Attorney General-elect Andrew Cuomo's Transition Committee. He gives as good as he gets but never crosses the line with mean, ugly, useless attacks. He wants what I want: a better New York."
King then struck a different tone on Cox, referencing his tweet.
"The Ed Cox who issued that tweet is one I did not recognize. It made him petty, small. Thuggish. A Cox sucker," said King, who also described Cox as a "bottom feeder."
Cox declined to comment on King's word play in an interview with the New York Daily News, but he amended his criticism of DeRosa, saying she was an "enabler" of Cuomo's "thuggish" behavior.
Others were outraged by King's comments, accusing the New York Democrat of using a gay slur.
"This is homophobia plain and simple," Gregory Angelo, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, told the Daily News.
"It was an inappropriate, silly comment," Allen Roskoff, president of the Jim Owles Liberal LGBT Democratic Club, told the New York Post. "But in no way, shape, or form is Charlie King homophobic. He was one of the first people I know to come out for gay marriage."
King has since attempted to clarify his statement, insisting that it was meant as a humorous play on words and not a gay slur, according to Nick Reisman, who reported the story.
I just spoke with Charlie King. He says he did not, in fact, use a gay slur since it was meant as a play on words when writing "Cox sucker"
— Nick Reisman (@NickReisman) April 19, 2017
King later issued an apology, saying, "I believe my criticism of Ed Cox today was over the top and went too far."
Charlie King has apologized for his comment on Ed Cox earlier today. pic.twitter.com/8HZrTYK3GN
— Nick Reisman (@NickReisman) April 20, 2017
In separate comments, King told the New York Post that his play on words was wrong.
"Two wrongs don't make a right," he said. "I went too far with my response. Ed was wrong with what he said about Melissa. It was an overreaction on my part."