State Sen. Jack Hatch, D-Des Moines, formally apologized to his fellow lawmakers for using a racial slur during a conversation with an African American legislator last week.

While discussing changes made to Hatch’s health care reform bill by a House committee, the Senator told state Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, that they were both being treated like the “N-word” and like “master and slaves.”

Hatch told The Des Moines Register on Saturday that he “immediately apologized and I apologized to his clerk, and that’s the end of it. His clerk was sitting right there, and I shouldn’t have said what I said. His clerk is an African-American, and I know what that means when someone says that.”

Today, Hatch sent an e-mail to lawmakers and all staff in the Iowa House and Senate:

Dear colleagues and legislative staff,

I am writing to apologize for a comment I made last week. As legislators, our comments reflect on everyone, and last Wednesday I made an inappropriate reference. It was wrong and inexcusable. We are to reflect Iowa values, and Iowans are a tolerant group. Our values embrace diversity and legislators need to reflect our highest standards.

Last Wednesday, I failed that standard and for that, I am sorry. It will never happen again.

If you want to discuss this with me, please seek me out.

Jack