ALBANY, N.Y. — A Republican congressman up for re-election in New York apologized on Thursday after the New York Times released photos of him wearing blackface dressed as pop icon Michael Jackson two decades ago at a college Halloween costume party.
Rep. Mike Lawler, who is a self-professed lifelong fan of Michael Jackson, per the Associated Press, can be seen in the photos obtained by NYT with Lawler in brown makeup wearing a replica of Jackson’s red leather jacket from his “Thriller” music video, posing in one of the late singer’s famous dance moves.
According to the New York Times, the photos were taken in 2006.
Last year, The Daily Beast published a report Lawler’s fascination with Jackson, which goes back to his childhood obsession. Lawler’s interest in Jackson was even documented in a biography released in 2010, “Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story.” In the book is a story detailing how Lawler flew from New York to California to attend Jackson’s infamous criminal trial when he was accused of molestation. Lawler was kicked out of the courtroom after making a derogatory comment as he listened to some of the testimony in the trial.
Lawler is currently in a competitive re-election campaign against former Congressman Mondaire Jones in Hudson Valley, New York.
More on Lawler’s obsession with Michael Jackson and bid for reelection.
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