Fallout Continues After GA Lawmaker’s SHOWTIME Appearance with Racial Slurs and Dropped Drawers

State Representative Jason Spencer, a Republican from Woodbine, has garnered national headlines and has colleagues calling for his resignation after he appeared on SHOWTIME’s “Who is America?” with Sasha Baron Cohen.

The show depicted Spencer dropping his pants to expose his buttocks, yelling profanities, and shouting racial slurs. At the end of the segment in a “Message to Terrorists,” Spencer took to a monologue where he tells “sand n*****s” that “we’re tired of you coming to America” and “trying to threaten us.”

Spencer then threatens to cut off the genitalia of the Middle Easterners, while simulating doing such on a mannequin, before stuffing the mock genitalia in the mouth of the mannequin. You can view the video of the Message to Terrorists here, however, the language and the content is not suitable for those under 18 or in a workplace. The video of Spencer in the training exercise is available here.

The New York Times has some background on the scenario, which Spencer claims he was tricked into participating in.

Speaker of the House David Ralston issued a statement late Sunday night, demanding Spencer resign. The statement was first published by GeorgiaPol.com:

“The actions and language used on this video are reprehensible. Represenative Spencer has disgraced himself and should resign immediately. Georgia is better than this.”

Secretary of State and Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp was also among the first to issue a statement on Spencer’s appearance.  His campaign sent out a full statement just after midnight:

By Monday morning, Governor Deal, his Chief of Staff, and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle had issued statements as well:
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Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have since called for Spencer’s resignation:

Political organizations are lining up in favor of a resignation as well:

But Spencer is holding his ground. He’s apologized, as a of Monday, saying he deeply regrets the decision, but has not offered a resignation. Spencer said in a statement Monday morning:

“In 2017, I received countless death threats in connection with my introduction of legislation involving the wearing of masks. The threats escalated to the point that my wife received threatening phone calls concerning her and my children. I was very afraid for my safety and the safety of my entire family.

Then on June 14th, a gunman opened fire at members of Congress on a baseball field. I knew people on the field. Now, the fears I already had became more intensified as the reality of my family being targeted by a similar, dereranged, would-be assassin became even more possible. I was in such a poor state of mind that my wife and I also undertook marriage counseling with a licensed therapist during this time.

Sacha Baron Cohen and his associates took advanatge of my paralyzing fear that my family would be attacked. In posing as an Isaraeli Agent, he pretended to offer self-defense excercises. As uncomfortable as I was to participate, I agreed to, undersanding that these “techniques” were meant to help me and others fend off what I believed was an inevitable attack.

My fears were so heightened at that time, I was not thinking clearly nor could I appreciate what I was agreeing to when I participated in his “class.” I was told I would be filmed as a “demonstration video” to teach others the same skills in Israel. Sacha and his crew further lied to me, stating that I would be able to review and have final aproval over any footage used.”

Spencer has served eight years in the Georgia House, but was defeated in his primary in May against Steven Sainz. He will vacate office in January when Sainz is sworn in for House District 180.