State Rep. Tim Briggs called Thursday, Oct. 1, for the immediate resignation of Republican state Rep. Aaron Bernstine over alleged homophobic and racial slurs directed at a colleague. Briggs represents the 149th District, which includes parts of Lower Merion Township.

Bernstine, who represents the 8th District in Butler and Lawrence counties, allegedly made the remarks about Philadelphia state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta at McGrath's Pub in Harrisburg on the night of Tuesday, Sept. 29, according to PennLive, which first reported the incident. Kenyatta, who is openly gay, was not present at the bar.

Michael Ford, secretary/treasurer of the Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council, told PennLive he witnessed Bernstine direct a slur at Kenyatta and make a false claim that Kenyatta had AIDS because of his weight loss. Kenyatta has lost more than 100 pounds over the past four years, according to The Advocate.

"I believe Rep. Bernstine should resign immediately, and I don't take calls for resignation lightly," Briggs said in a statement from his King of Prussia office. "I wouldn't make one now if I didn't believe that his abhorrent behavior has once again crossed the line."

Bernstine denied the allegations, calling them "false" and a "political attack" in a statement to Spotlight PA, PennLive reported. He also said union members at the bar threatened him and that he reported the threats to law enforcement.

Two Republican colleagues, state Reps. Scott Barger and Josh Bashline, told WPXI-TV they were at McGrath's Pub and heard threats from unidentified union officials but did not hear Bernstine use slurs, PennLive reported.

Ford pushed back on the denial, telling PennLive that Bernstine was lying if he characterized their interaction differently than Ford had described.

House Republican spokesman Jason Gottesman, speaking for Minority Leader Jesse Topper of Bedford, called the report "troubling" and said it "does not comport with the values and professionalism Pennsylvanians expect of their state lawmakers," PennLive reported. Separately, the chairs of the Legislative Black Caucus and the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, including Rep. Napoleon Nelson, Rep. Jessica Benham and Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, issued a joint statement calling Bernstine "unfit to serve," according to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.

Kenyatta, the first openly gay Black man elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, posted a video on social media Friday, Oct. 2, calling for Bernstine to step down. He said the issue went beyond personal offense, according to PhillyVoice.

House Democratic leaders said they are "exploring potential next steps," PennLive reported. Expulsion from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives would require a two-thirds vote. Democrats narrowly control the chamber.

This is not Bernstine's first controversy. In 2020, his own party's House leaders called for his resignation after a video showed him encouraging his then-5-year-old son to smoke a cigar and use a degrading word for women, PennLive reported. He apologized at the time for "jokes that went too far."

Bernstine, first elected in 2016, is up for reelection in November. No formal disciplinary proceeding has been scheduled.