McCaskill opponent unfamiliar with Violence Against Women Act

Democrats in Missouri are knocking former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman (R) for saying she is unfamiliar with the Violence Against Women Act.

A bill reauthorizing the act is being debated in the Senate and could face a vote this week. Republicans and Democrats have both said they want to renew the act, but Republicans have opposed certain provisions put in by Democrats that expand it to include gays and illegal immigrants.

Steelman was asked at a campaign event whether she had "heard about the woman's violence act or something like that is working through the House." (The Senate, not the House, is currently considering the measure).

“I’m not sure what that is because I’m not serving right now,” Steelman says in an exchange that was caught on camera and circulated on the Internet by the Missouri Democratic Party.

Another attendee at the event provided the full name of the legislation and asked whether Steelman was familiar with it.

"No, not really," Steelman said.

Democrats pounced, calling it an example of how Steelman was unprepared to lead.

"The thousands of victims of domestic violence here in Missouri would probably tell Sarah that Violence Against Women does, in fact, exist and remains a very serious issue," said party spokeswoman Caitlin Legacki.

Steelman's camp shot back by calling it a clumsy attempt by McCaskill's team to create phony campaign issues.

“Of course I am for stopping violence against women," Steelman said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that the Senate Democrats are making the current re-authorization of Violence Against Women bill into a political football. The Republicans are offering an improved version of the reauthorization bill and I want to review it."

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