Abby Broyles, an Oklahoma City Democrat running for Congress, said Friday that a combination of medication and alcohol led to a bizarre scene last weekend in which she allegedly insulted young girls at a slumber party and threw up at least twice.
In an interview on KFOR, the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City, Broyles said she blacked out while at the Deer Creek home of a friend whose daughter had several friends over for a party. She said she had combined wine with an insomnia medication she had never taken.
“I don’t remember anything until I woke up — or came to — and I was throwing up in a hamper,” Broyles said in the interview.
The comments are at odds with Broyles’ outright denials to the online publication NonDoc, which posted a detailed story on Thursday about Broyles’ insults and drinking. Broyles told NonDoc she hadn’t even attended the party on Feb. 11 and that she was out of town.
On Wednesday, the mother of one of the girls who attended the party sent a message to Broyles on Twitter, saying “Since it’s been five days and you have neglected to reach out to any of the young ladies (12 & 13 yr olds, including my daughter) you verbally and emotionally abused last weekend, I thought I would give you a chance to try to apologize (at a minimum) here.
“For someone who pontificates to be undyingly pro woman, I am disgusted by your behavior and find it appalling you couldn’t understand why their parents are angry. Your vile, cruel, and bigoted behavior should not be excused or ‘swept under the rug’
“Not only did you scare and traumatize these beautiful girls with your words, you ruined a pair of their shoes with your vomit! (Which she saved up to buy with her own money!) Considering how much you bragged about how ‘rich and successful’ you are to these children, surely you can afford to replace her shoes!”
According to the NonDoc story, Broyles called one girl an “acne f***er” and another girl an “Hispanic f***er.”
Broyles, 32, an attorney and former television reporter, challenged Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe in 2020 and received 33% of the vote. She announced last year that she will challenge Republican Rep. Stephanie Bice for the 5th District congressional seat.
In the KFOR interview on Friday, Broyles said, “First of all, I want to apologize to the families again. And for people who say I just blacked out and I’m making this up: you don’t know me. I have never, ever would say something hurtful like those things, and that’s why I know I was not in my right mind.”
She did not say whether she would continue her campaign.
“I deeply regret what happened because of the people who it affected,” Broyles said. “I’ll be OK no matter what happens. But as far as this campaign, I’m never going to stop fighting for Oklahomans whether it’s in this race or fighting for the cause some other way.”
Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair Alicia Andrews said Friday, “Regarding the party’s stance on Ms. Broyles candidacy, the party is not in the habit of running candidates off. Should Ms. Broyles continue in her pursuit of Oklahoma Congressional District Five, the party will not get in her way.
“Regarding a response to the allegations, I’d feel more comfortable allowing her to share her story directly.”
