Alabama lawmaker uses racist slur in recorded council meeting, faces calls to resign

An Alabama lawmaker is facing calls to resign after using the N-word during a council meeting Monday night.

Video of the meeting posted to the Tarrant, Alabama, Facebook page shows City Council member John “Tommy” Bryant standing up, pointing at a Black councilwoman and asking: "Do we have a house N-word in here? Would she please stand up?"

Residents can be heard gasping.

In a statement following the meeting, Alabama Democrats called for Bryant to resign.

"He is racist and unfit to serve," the statement said.

"Alabama still has a long way to go when it comes to race, but cozying up to the KKK and using the N-word should make you unfit to serve," the statement continued. "These racists belong in the history books with Bull Connor and George Wallace, not on the taxpayer's payroll."

Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl said in a statement that the party "is deeply troubled by the racially charged outburst and disrespect shown by Councilman Tommy Bryant. Such language is completely unacceptable in any setting, and even more concerning coming from an elected official."

"The comments made at the Tarrant city council meeting have no place in government leadership, and if they reflect the opinion of Tommy Bryant he should immediately step down," Wahl said.

Waynette Bonham, a Tarrant resident who was at the meeting, also said Bryant should resign.

"This is not who we need representing us at any capacity," she told NBC News.

Bonham, who is Black, said Bryant's outburst was in response to her questioning him about why his wife had repeatedly used the word in Facebook posts.

Screenshots appear to show Nancy Bryant writing in the posts that Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton had used the phrase "house N-word" when referring to a Black council member. While an expletive is not spelled out in the post, the N-word is.