PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) is demanding an apology from Pennsylvania State House candidate Madeline Dean for inappropriate remarks made to an African-American OPEIU member who was campaigning for her opponent Nick Mattiacci on Saturday, April 21, 2012. Both Dean and Mattiacci are running to fill Democrat Josh Shapiro's District 153 House Seat.

"We are outraged with the Madeline Dean campaign and in particular, Robin Beall, a representative of the campaign, who had the audacity to approach an African-American member of my delegation and question him on who he was and what he was doing in the community," said OPEIU International President Michael Goodwin. "He was very respectful to Ms. Beall despite her inappropriate behavior, yet she found it necessary to publicly refer to him as nasty, threatening, and a 'thug'."

Goodwin said OPEIU is demanding an apology "to me, my delegation, and to Nick Mattiacci for this outrageous behavior."