Update (July 25, 2018): Georgia State Representative Jason Spencer will resign following his appearance on Showtime's Who Is America?, effective July 31, according to CNN. Spencer emailed George House Speaker David Ralston late Tuesday night and said, "I will be resigning my post effective July 31, 2018," CBS News reports.
Original: A Georgia lawmaker refuses to resign after comedian Sacha Baron Cohen convinced him to shout racial slurs and make a complete fool of himself on his TV show Who Is America?.
Rep. Jason Spencer appeared on July 22's episode with Cohen, who was posing as an Israeli military trainer. During the show, Cohen was able to persuade Spencer to yell "n****r" to deter a potential kidnapper and display his bare behind to scare off homophobic ISIS soldiers. Cohen also convinced Spencer that using selfie sticks to take pictures under people's burkas was a valid anti-terrorism technique. While practicing with the selfie stick, Spencer used an offensive Chinese accent that included saying "red dragon" and the Japanese greeting "Konnichiwa."
In a lengthy statement to The Washington Post, Spencer said he followed the commands because he feared for his family’s safety after they received death threats following his endorsement of a burqa ban. He also cited the June 2017 congressional baseball field shooting.
“Sacha Baron Cohen and his associates took advantage of my paralyzing fear that my family would be attacked. In posing as an Israeli agent, he pretended to offer self-defense exercises. As uncomfortable as I was to participate, I agreed to, understanding that these ‘techniques’ were meant to help me and others fend off what I believed was an inevitable attack,” Spencer wrote.
Spencer said Cohen agreed to show him the footage and “have final approval” before it aired, but that never happened. He said he “deeply regrets” the language he used and apologized to his loved ones and constituents. Spencer concluded the statement by declaring his intention to finish the last five months of his term. He lost a bid for reelection in May.
Several Georgia politicians have condemned Spencer’s behavior on the show, including Governor Nathan Deal, according to CBS News.
“The actions and language used by Jason Spencer are appalling and offensive. There is no excuse for this type of behavior, ever, and I am saddened and disgusted by it,” Deal tweeted.
Georgia House Speaker David Ralston called Spencer’s actions “reprehensible” and said he should “resign immediately.”
Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who is running for governor, removed Spencer from his list of endorsements. “Rep. Spencer's words and behavior are hurtful, insensitive, and completely unacceptable,” Kemp said in a statement.
Georgia’s GOP is currently researching proper ways to reprimand Spencer, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Additionally, House Majority Leader Jon Burns and Minority Leader Bob Trammell are considering filing a joint ethics complaint.
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