Florida state senator who used racial slur with black colleagues resigns

Florida state Sen. Frank Artiles (R) has resigned after he used a racial slur while speaking to a pair of black colleagues during a private conversation.

Artiles submitted his resignation letter on Friday, The Associated Press reported. His resignation is effectively immediately.

The move comes four days after he used the N-word to described how state Senate President Joe Negron was elected GOP leader.

{mosads}While out for drinks on Monday night, Artiles included the slur while claiming to Sens. Audrey Gibson (D) and Perry Thurston (D) that black members of the caucus had elected Negron.

There are no black lawmakers in the GOP caucus, and no Democrats backed Negron as GOP leader, the Miami Herald reported.

Artiles also called Negron a “p—-” and called one of his colleagues a “f—ing asshole,” a “bitch” and a “girl.”

The Florida Democratic Party called on Artiles to resign on Tuesday, the Herald reported. On Wednesday, he apologized to his colleagues on the Senate floor.

He said his comments were a distraction to his colleagues and Floridians, the AP reported.