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Atlanta Journal-Constitution, TVWeek, Showtime

Lawmaker Resigns Over Appearance on Sacha Baron Cohen’s Show

Jul 25, 2018  •  Post A Comment

A Georgia lawmaker who bared his bottom and repeatedly shouted the N-word during an appearance on the Showtime series “Who Is America?” has resigned from office, according to media reports.

As we reported earlier this week, Jason Spencer, a Republican who has had four terms in the Georgia state House of Representatives, appeared to be goaded into the antics during a session presented by host Sacha Baron Cohen as anti-terrorism training. Cohen appeared as one of his characters, Israeli anti-terrorism expert Col. Erran Morad.

Video of the segment can be seen by clicking here.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Spencer will step down at the end of this month. The report cites a spokesman for Georgia House Speaker David Ralston’s office.

Spencer “faced increasing pressure to step down shortly after the episode of ‘Who is America?’ aired Sunday night, and some politicians were urging a special session to oust him if he refused,” the paper reports, adding: “Spencer apologized for the ‘ridiculously ugly episode,’ but initially refused to resign. Although he lost the GOP primary in May, he could have remained in public office through the November general election.”

The report notes that Spencer had a financial incentive to remain in office, as he could have compiled eight years of service to become eligible for taxpayer-subsidized health insurance for life.

In the segment, “Cohen gets Spencer to yell racial epithets, make offensive remarks about Chinese tourists and pull down his pants and shimmy his naked buttocks toward purported attackers while yelling ‘USA’ and ‘America.’ He was told these tactics ward off homophobic militants,” the Journal-Constitution reports.

Spencer has reportedly considered legal action against the show.

The paper notes that Spencer “faced calls for resignation late last year after he warned a black former state legislator that she won’t be ‘met with torches but something a lot more definitive’ if she continued to advocate for the removal of Confederate statues in South Georgia. And Republican leaders roundly criticized his legislative proposal that would bar women from wearing burqas on public property, forcing him to withdraw the legislation.”

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