MAGA lawmaker Mike Lawler has been forced to apologize after a photo emerged of him wearing blackface at a Halloween college party. The photo of the 38-year-old rising House star, published by The New YorkTimes, shows Lawler dressed as Michael Jackson at a party at Manhattan College in October 2006.

New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler acknowledged that he darkened his face as part of a Michael Jackson costume, which he called an “homage”, after The New York Times reported that he wore blackface as a college student in 2006.

Photos taken of Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) while in college nearly 20 years ago show him wearing blackface as part of a Halloween costume portraying pop star Michael Jackson, The New York Times reported on Thursday.