Jason Spencer

Jason Chauncey Spencer (born November 14, 1974)[1] is an American physician assistant and politician. He was elected as a Republican to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2010, representing district 180, and serving into July 2018.[2][3] He was defeated by Steven Sainz in the May 2018 Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 180.[4]

For other people named Jason Spencer, see Jason Spencer (disambiguation).

Jason Spencer
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 180th district
In office
January 10, 2011 – July 31, 2018
Preceded byCecily Hill
Succeeded bySteven Sainz
Personal details
Born
Jason Chauncey Spencer

(1974-11-14) November 14, 1974
Offutt AFB, Nebraska, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Melaney Fieldhouse
ResidenceWoodbine, Georgia
Alma materUniversity of Georgia (BS)
South University (BS)
University of Nebraska (MPAS)
Signature

Spencer gained passage of the Hidden Predator Act of 2015, which extended the statute of limitations in Georgia for survivors of child sexual abuse to file charges. This law is credited with enabling the investigation and prosecution of Dr. Larry Nassar of the USA Gymnastics organization, who was convicted of serial child molestation committed over many years.

He strongly opposed the Affordable Care Act and helped prevent Medicaid expansion in Georgia.[5] He faced criticism in July 2018 for his actions and speech in an episode of the satire television show Who Is America?, in which Sacha Baron Cohen, disguised as a counter-terrorist expert, encouraged him to shout racist slogans.[2] Criticized by Republican leaders, Spencer later announced that he would resign from the Georgia House of Representatives effective July 31, 2018.[6]

Early life and education

Spencer was born into a military family at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. The family moved to Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Georgia, in 1978 and to Alapaha, Georgia, a year later. Spencer graduated from Berrien High School in 1993.[7]

He attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College before transferring to Alabama State University, a historically black college (HBCU), on a full athletic scholarship for tennis. He transferred again to the University of Georgia, from which he graduated in 1997 with a degree in exercise & sport science.[7]

Spencer studied and trained as a physician assistant, receiving a second bachelor's degree from South University in Savannah and a master's degree in physician assistant studies from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2005.[7]

Political career

Electoral history

An active member of the Tea Party movement in coastal Georgia, Spencer was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2010 after defeating incumbent Cecily Hill in a primary runoff.[8] His district centers on Woodbine in southeastern Georgia.[2] He was reelected in 2012, 2014, and 2016.[9]

Legislative mentions

Spencer served on the following committees in the Georgia State House: Science and Technology; Games, Fish and Parks; Juvenile Justice; Human Aging and Relations, and served as the Secretary to the House Special Rules Committee.[10] He voted for legislation that relaxed “live-aboard” boating restrictions and legalized home brew beer competitions in Georgia.[11][12]

Spencer served as an advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse, introducing and gaining passage in 2015 of a landmark civil statute of limitations (SOL) reform legislation, known as the Georgia Hidden Predator Act (HB 17, 2015). This legislation removed or extended the civil SOL so survivors can gain justice and expose the identities of hidden pedophiles in the state of Georgia. The Hidden Predator Act was instrumental in leading to the unraveling of one of the largest sex scandals in U.S. sports history: the exposure of Dr. Larry Nassar, who was later convicted of serial child molestation committed while serving the USA Gymnastics organization.[13] Rep. Spencer received Voice Today's "Voice of Gratitude Award" for his efforts authoring the legislation.[14]

In 2018, Spencer attempted to amend this 2015 law to strengthen it and provide more time for survivors to file cases, but the bill was weakened by lobbying efforts from the Atlanta Archdiocese of the Catholic Church,[15] the Boy Scouts of America, and other powerful interest groups. It narrowly failed to pass on the last day of the 2018 legislative session.[16][17][18]

In 2017, Spencer introduced and passed legislation, known as the Georgia Space Flight Act (House Bill 1, 2017), to attract the commercial space industry to Georgia as part of an ongoing effort to establish the state's first commercial spaceport.[19][20]

Issues during tenure

Spencer was one of the strongest opponents in the Georgia House to President Barack Obama's administration's Affordable Care Act (ACA).[21] He authored legislation that effectively blocked Medicaid expansion in Georgia, although the federal government would have covered most of the costs of extending health care to needy constituents. Spencer also blocked the establishment of the state's insurance marketplace, and forced the University of Georgia to terminate its "Obamacare" Navigator program under the Act.[5][22][23] In 2014, Spencer introduced legislation to block the state from "using of its resources to implement any portions of the health care law."[24] When this legislation was tabled by Senate Majority Whip Cecil Station (R-Macon) and other opponents in committee, Spencer issued a press release blaming fellow Republicans for an "eleventh hour betrayal" and likening them to "Benedict Arnolds, the King George the Third and his myrmidons."[25][26]

In 2016, after facing bipartisan opposition, Spencer withdrew a bill that was perceived to have banned Muslim women from wearing religious garments such as burqas or niqābs in driver's license photographs or while driving cars.[27] The legislation aimed to amend an existing 1951 Georgia law intended to prohibit members of the Ku Klux Klan from wearing masks and hoods; it had been constitutionally upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court in State v Miller, 1990] to unmask members of the group.[28][29] Many, including the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) and American Civil Liberties Union, accused Spencer of Islamophobia.[30][31]

Spencer accused a constituent of treason and supporting terrorism for donating $10 to CAIR Georgia in response to his bill.[32] Spencer supported his charge of potential treason in a letter written to his constituent stating that the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) was designated as a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates due to the organization's alleged ties to Hamas, an organization which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State.[33] In addition, Spencer stated that CAIR was named by the U.S. Justice Department as an unindicted co-conspirator in the largest terrorism funding trials in U.S. history, known as United States v Holy Land Foundation, et. al.,[34][35][36] claims which CAIR has rejected.[37] As a result of the backlash of submitting this legislation, Spencer said he had received death threats.[38]

In 2017, Spencer attracted controversy in the debate over the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials. In a Facebook post, he issued a warning to LaDawn Jones, an African American attorney, former Georgia House colleague and current State Director for Bernie Sanders' Presidential Campaign, that she might "go missing in the Okefenokee," a swamp in southern Georgia (and partly in Spencer's district), if she followed through on her intentions to bring advocates to southern Georgia to remove Confederate monuments.[39][40][41][42]

Primary defeat

In May 2018, Spencer was defeated in the Republican primary by a primary challenger, 24-year-old political newcomer Steven Sainz. A local party leader attributed Spencer's loss in part to his "antics" in office.[9] Spencer said "if he rubbed anyone the wrong way," he was doing so by standing up to powerful special interest representing the plight of "little guy." “My tactics won against them and that is one of the reasons why I stayed in office for eight years, because I effectively beat them at their own game,” said Spencer to the Brunswick News.[43] In a radio interview with WGIG 1440 AM, Rep. Jason Spencer said that he had often been a target of individuals on the ideological left and establishment politicians for introducing legislation that challenged powerful special interests. He believed such opponents blocked a bill in 2018 to strengthen a law extending civil justice to survivors of child sexual abuse.[44][45]

TV appearance

Spencer was featured on the July 22, 2018, episode of Sacha Baron Cohen's show Who Is America?. At the urging of Baron Cohen, who posed as an Israeli counter-terrorism expert, Spencer exposed his bare buttocks, imitated a Chinese tourist using racial stereotypes, used a selfie stick to take an upskirt picture under a woman's burqa, and repeatedly yelled "nigger". Georgia House Speaker David Ralston urged Spencer to resign, saying that he had "disgraced himself." Governor Nathan Deal tweeted that Spencer's actions were "appalling and offensive."[38] Spencer apologized for what he described as "this ridiculously ugly episode" but initially refused to step down, saying that the show's producers had exploited him "for profit and notoriety."[46][47] He said that Baron Cohen and his crew had falsely promised that Spencer would be able to review and have final approval over any footage used.[38] Spencer later announced his resignation on July 24,[48] effective as of July 31.[49]

Election results
2010 Republican primary, State Representative, District 180[50]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cecily Hill 2,010 44.3%
Republican Jason Spencer 1,615 35.6%
Republican Rindy Howell 911 20.1%
2010 Republican primary runoff, State Representative, District 180[51]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer 2,193 54.9%
Republican Cecily Hill 1,805 45.1%
2010 general election, State Representative, District 180[52]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer 7,701 69.5%
Democratic Adell James 3,384 30.5%
2012 Republican primary, State Representative, District 180[53]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer 4,157 51.68%
Republican Adam Jacobson 3,886 48.32%
2012 general election, State Representative, District 180[54]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer (unopposed) 14,671 100%
2014 Republican primary, State Representative, District 180[55]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer 2,759 58.95%
Republican Nancy H. Stasinis 1,921 41.05%
2014 general election, State Representative, District 180[56]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer (unopposed) 8,534 100%
2016 Republican primary, State Representative, District 180[57]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer (unopposed) 3,086 100%
2016 general election, State Representative, District 180[58]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Spencer (unopposed) 16,168 100%
May 22, 2018 Republican primary, State Representative, District 180[59][60]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven Sainz 2,462 57.81%
Republican Jason Spencer 1,797 42.19%

Personal life

Spencer lives with his wife and their two daughters in Woodbine. They are members of the Harbor Worship Center, a Christian church in Kingsland, Georgia.[7]

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References
  1. Jason Spencer, Georgia House of Representatives
  2. Sopan Deb (July 23, 2018). "Georgia Leaders Condemn Jason Spencer, Lawmaker Who Used Slurs on Sacha Baron Cohen Show". New York Times.
  3. "Representative Jason Spencer". house.ga.gov. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  4. "Steven Sainz". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  5. "The Georgia Healthcare Freedom Act. HB 707/943". Georgia State University Law Review. Fall 2014.
  6. Respers France, Lisa. "Georgia lawmaker who came under fire after yelling 'n-word' on 'Who Is America?' says he'll quit". CNN. Cable News Network. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  7. "Rep. Jason Spencer R-180 Biography" (PDF). house.ga.gov. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  8. Jackson, Gordon (August 10, 2010). "Hill falls short in bid for 4th term". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  9. Jackson, Gordon (May 24, 2018). "Spencer loses primary election after four terms". The Brunswick News. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  10. "Rep. Jason Spencer committee assignments".
  11. "Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 11:00pm Bill Would Legalize Living On Boats. Georgia Public Broadcasting". February 20, 2012.
  12. "Flagpole, May 22, 2013. By Blake Aued. Georgia Lawmakers Give Homebrewers a Break. Are Brewpubs Next?".
  13. Elassar, Alaa (January 26, 2018). "How a Georgia case, law paved way for USA Gymnastics doctor's downfall". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  14. "Voice of Gratitude Award".
  15. Tagami, Ty (March 9, 2018). "Lobbyist for Archdiocese tries to gut childhood sexual abuse bill". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  16. Tagami, Ty (March 30, 2018). "Georgia lawmakers don't give sex abuse survivors more time to sue".
  17. "WTOC Investigates: Failure to pass Hidden Predator Act of 2018. Friday, March 30th 2018".
  18. "Boy Scouts lobby in states to stem the flow of child abuse lawsuits. Washington Post. May 9, 2018".
  19. "HB 1 signed into law. The Brunswick News. Mar 9, 2017".
  20. "Spaceport Camden".
  21. Greg Bluestein, My AJC: "State lawmaker picks a fight over Medicaid 'experiment' ", Atlanta Journal-Constitution (May 28, 2015).
  22. Andy Miller, "Legislator: Waiver plan still requires legislative OK", Georgia Health News (May 27, 2015).
  23. Anderson, Virginia (September 7, 2014). "UGA forced to shutter health insurance navigator program". AJC.
  24. Misty Williams, Medicaid expansion: House panel votes to shift power to Legislature, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (February 19, 2014).
  25. On the Record, Atlanta Journal Constitution (March 22, 2014).
  26. "UPDATED: Anti-Obamacare Legislation Killed. Lawmaker Blasts Fellow Republicans". The Brookhaven Post | Brookhaven GA News. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
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  28. "State v. Miller".
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  30. Bever, Lindsey (November 18, 2016). "After outcry, Georgia lawmaker abandons bill that would have banned Muslims from wearing veils". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
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  32. Mitchell, Edward Ahmed (January 5, 2017). "Text: CAIR Georgia's Letter To Rep. Jason Spencer After Anti-Muslim Remarks". cairgeorgia.com. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  33. "Letter Dec 30, 2016 written by Rep. Jason Spencer to constituent re CAIR/HAMAS. Letter HouseBill3 CAIR Dec302016 redacted.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  34. Chiaramonte, Perry (November 17, 2014). "US group CAIR named terrorist organization by United Arab Emirates". Fox News. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  35. "Foreign Terrorist Organizations". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  36. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee v. HOLY LAND FOUNDATION FOR RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT, ET AL, Defendants NORTH AMERICAN ISLAMIC TRUST, Movant-Appellant No. 09-10875 Decided: October 20, 2010".
  37. Admins, IP. "Dispelling Rumors About CAIR - CAIR". cair.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2013.
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  39. Eberhardt, Robin (August 30, 2017). "Ga. lawmaker: Dem criticizing Confederate monuments could 'go missing'". The Hill. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  40. Shugerman, Emily (August 30, 2017). "Republican politician warns black woman she may 'go missing' for talking about Confederate statues". The Independent. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  41. "About LaDawn Jones".
  42. "Sanders' Ga. Supporters Undeterred, Despite Big Loss. WABE; NPR, MARTHA DALTON • MAR 1, 2016". March 2, 2016.
  43. NEWS, THE BRUNSWICK. "State rep. refutes characterization of political career". The Brunswick News. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
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  45. "Torpy at Large: If lobbyists win, Hidden Predator Act will stay hidden". myajc. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
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  51. "Official Results of the Tuesday, August 10, 2010 Primary Election Runoff". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  52. "Official Results of the Tuesday, November 02, 2010 General Election". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
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  54. "General Election November 6, 2012". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
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  56. "General Election November 4, 2014". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
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  58. "General Election November 8, 2016". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
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