Georgia state Rep. Erica Thomas dominated much of the news cycle Saturday after the African-American lawmaker said she was confronted by a white man who told her to “go back to where you came from.”
But, as is often the case these days when it comes to racial incidents, all is not as it appears to be.
Eager to keep the “Trump is a racist” narrative going, the media jumped on the claim from Thomas, which she said occurred at a Publix grocery store in a very emotional video posted on Facebook.
I’m about to be very Transparent because this racism and hate is getting out of control! I feared for my life!
Posted by Erica Thomas on Friday, July 19, 2019
Declaring that “people are really getting out of control with this white privilege,” the Democrat said through flowing tears: “This white man comes up to me and says ‘you lazy son of a bitch. You need to go back where you came from.’”
As Thomas explained in the video, she was in an express lane for shoppers with 10 items or less, admitting she had 15 items — she justified her action by saying she’s 9 months pregnant — when the man said this.
The video, which draws on similar remarks made by President Trump, took off and as a local television station, WSB-TV, was about to interview Thomas in front of the same Publix grocery, the man who allegedly told her to “go back” showed up.
And that’s when things began to quickly unravel.
Turns out, that man, Eric Sparkes, is registered Democrat of Cuban ancestry and he denied that he told Thomas to “go back where you came from.”
Upset over her having too many items, he did admit to the ABC affiliate that he called Thomas a ” lazy b*tch,” but insisted she fabricated the story for “political purposes.”
“This woman, Ms. Thomas, is playing the victim for political purposes because she is a state legislator,” Sparkes said.
“I’m a Democrat and will vote Democrat for the rest of my life, so call me whatever you want to believe,” he continued. “For her political purposes, make it black, white, brown, whatever. It is untrue.”
In a clip shared on Twitter by WSB-TV reporter Christain Jennings, Sparkes is heard telling Thomas to “back off before I call the police,” as she gets a little too close to his personal space.
We were getting ready to interview Rep. @itsericathomas outside the @Publix where she says a man called her the B word and told her to “go back where you came from”. Well… that man…was already here at the Publix because he wanted to speak to management. She confronted him. pic.twitter.com/b3J06g0Yh0
— Christian Jennings (@CJenningsWSB) July 20, 2019
Suddenly, Thomas was walking back her claim somewhat, admitting that Sparkes may not have said go back where you came from — well after the initial claim went viral.
Matt Wolking, deputy director of communications for Trump’s 2020 campaign, was quick to jump on this change of heart by sharing the video online:
— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) July 21, 2019
With so many claims of racial attacks turning out to be hoaxes, social media users were highly skeptical of the state representative’s claim.
Here’s a sampling of responses from Twitter:
Jussie Smollett Version 2.0
— Fake Noose (@LetItBurnUSA) July 20, 2019
This entire “racism” discussion is a desperate cry from Democrats who cannot win against Trump!! They are too far left anymore to move center and the panic button is being pressed.
— Williams2 (@livininpa) July 20, 2019
the MSM continues pushing hoaxes without verifying facts because there are no consequences for pushing a hoax if it fits an agenda.
they go by AOC’s philosophy of it being more important to be morally correct than to be factually correct. (well, “it jump-starts a conversation”)— Every Cow Fart Is A Policy Failure (@jer2911tx) July 21, 2019
I knew this story would get better ????
— Tim ?-Zion (@tyger429) July 20, 2019
Guaranteed bullshit.
— Jimmy Levy (@JimmyLevy15) July 20, 2019
She didn’t say he called her the “b” word. She said he called her a “son of a b”, which of course makes no sense. Why did you change what she said? #FakeNews
— DocWashburn❌ (@DocWashburn) July 20, 2019
She said she went to the Express land because she couldnt stand for the regular lane but now I have seen her stand for a presser and now this. Either way neither one of them should have gotten so upset.
— Sharon☠ (@ASEDawg89) July 20, 2019
She don’t seem like the victim she portrayed in her fist video.
— PibbleShitz (@FaQBlowMe) July 20, 2019
And the left will swipe this under the rug like everything else.
— James (@SlanginSmiles) July 21, 2019
Somebody must be up for reelection. Total race baiter. I hope my state of Georgia sends her packing come next election. True Democrat playbook, lie at first chance redact 24 hrs latter knowing the lie will stick to their base more than the redaction.
— Mark C. Williams (@Dek_iam) July 21, 2019
“The female Jussie Smolett”
— James Rumsfeld (@JamesRumsfeld) July 21, 2019
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
Tom@bizpacreview.com
The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
- Did Sunny Hostin just admit on air to breaking the law by voting for her son? - November 8, 2022
- Stacey Abrams justifies trailing in the polls by suggesting black men are too stupid to back her - November 7, 2022
- Kevin McCarthy has message for Pelosi telling Dems to ‘change the subject’ away from inflation - October 24, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
