Lawmaker lists fake Sacha Baron Cohen award on campaign site

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) on Friday acknowledged that his campaign website listed a “bogus award” from comedian Sacha Baron Cohen as one of his “awards and recognitions.”

On the website of Patriots for Perry, the lawmaker’s campaign website, one of the more than two dozen awards listed is the “Yerushalayim Television, 2018 70 for 70 (Recognizing Friends of Israel).”

The award is the same one “given” to former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) when he was duped by Cohen for the actor’s Showtime “Who is America?” TV series.

After multiple reports pointed out that the award was fake, Perry responded on Facebook, saying that he doesn’t think the award is real.

{mosads}“After several attempts to interview me (all declined) for what we discovered was a mockery, this addition clearly got by,” he wrote. “We’re human, we made an administrative mistake, and I own it.”

He said that the mistake was not “newsworthy” and criticized the media for covering it.

“But reporting this as newsworthy – which it’s far from – only further divides us, rewards those who not only try to humiliate in the name of entertainment, but also make a mockery of Israel (one of our closest Allies and of whom I’m a staunch supporter), and detracts from substantive issues that define a stronger community,” he said.

Nearly 24 hours after Perry’s response, the award was still listed on the Patriots for Perry website. The Hill has reached out to the campaign for comment.

Cohen has tricked a number of lawmakers, mostly Republicans, and other high-profile political figures for his new undercover show. Georgia state lawmaker Jason Spencer was forced to resign after he exposed himself and used the n-word on camera on Cohen’s show.