Congressman Ted Yoho issued a partial apology for "the abrupt manner of the conversation" he had with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the Capitol steps on Tuesday, where a reporter allegedly heard him call her a "f***ing bitch."
Mr Yoho did not apologise for that particular comment, however, claiming he did not say it to Ms Ocasio-Cortez during their brief confrontation, which he initiated.
"The offensive name-calling — words attributed to me by the press — were never spoken to my colleague, and if they were construed that way I apologise for their misunderstanding," he said in a speech on the House floor on Wednesday.
"It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America, but that does not mean we should be disrespectful. Having been married for 45 years with two daughters, I'm very cognizant of the language I use," Mr Yoho said.
Ms Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter that Mr Yoho's statement was "not an apology," and that "he didn’t even say my name."
"I will not teach my nieces and young people watching that this an apology, and what they should learn to accept. Yoho is refusing responsibility," she said.
Mr Yoho, one of two veterinarians in Congress, is retiring at the end of this term, his fourth representing North Central Florida's 3rd District.
While he is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Mr Yoho has had a mostly quiet career in Congress, working behind the scenes on animal-rights initiatives and on bills related to his work in the Agriculture and Foreign Affairs Committees.
That made his sudden brush with Ms Ocasio-Cortez even more perplexing.
Ms Ocasio-Cortez recently claimed that a rise in gun violence in New York, which includes a spike in the number of people critically injured and killed, was the result of dire economic conditions that have left people the option to either "shoplift some bread or go hungry that night."
Mr Yoho said she was "disgusting" for making the claim, and told her, "You are out of your freaking mind," The Hillreported,
After the progressive Democrat responded that he was "rude" and the pair parted ways, Mr Yoho reportedly muttered aloud the phrase "f***ing bitch."
In a response on Tuesday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that she had never spoken to Mr Yoho before he accosted her on the steps of the nation's Capitol building.
"Believe it or not, I usually get along fine w/ my GOP colleagues. We know how to check our legislative sparring at the committee door. But hey, “b*tches” get stuff done," the congresswoman wrote.
