GEORGIA (WTOC) - The debate over the removal of Confederate monuments here in Georgia has gotten a little heated between a former and current state lawmaker.
Representative Jason Spencer is catching some heat for comments he made on social media to former Representative LaDawn Jones.
The Facebook posts made by Representative Jason Spencer are concerning enough for the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus - that they have approached the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into it.
Local Senator and Black Caucus Chairman Lester Jackson sent out a statement that the Caucus is very disappointed by the recent threat of physical violence made by Representative Spencer toward former Rep. LaDawn Jones.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution saved the social media posts between Spencer and Jones before they were pulled from public view, showing how the conversation escalated.
Representative Spencer posted a picture of himself at the Jefferson Davis Memorial, saying in part it's part of Georgia's history, the hashtag "Deal with it" at the end of the post.
Former Georgia Representative LaDawn Jones commented on that post saying she doesn't believe state tax dollars should pay for the memorial. Later in the comments, Spencer accuses Jones of trying to erase history, good or bad, and that any attempt to do so "won't be met with torches but something a lot more definitive" - adding - "people in South Georgia are people of action, not drama."
Spencer responded to another person's post agreeing that Atlanta is not Georgia, adding that "they will go missing in the Okefenokee." Jones interpreted that as a threat of physical violence, and lawmakers in the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, among others, agree.
Spencer did issue a statement following all of this saying he did regret his choice of words warning LaDawn about the possibility of violence, and that it wasn't a threat against her. Spencer went on to say that he was just trying to warn her that there are people who would harm others over moving monuments to the Confederacy.
[Representative Jason Spencer's full statement]:
LaDawn Jones posted her own statement following the exchange with Representative Spencer, saying she's not concerned for her own safety, rather the safety of African Americans speaking out against monuments to the Confederacy.
[Representative LaDawn Jones' full statement]:
We'll continue to follow this story to see if the GBI does, in fact, open up an investigation.
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