A top aide to Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigned Thursday following published reports that he posted racially charged comments on social media. Benjamin Cole had served as the four-term Republican lawmaker's spokesman since March. Cole's October 13, 2013 Facebook posts were published in the middle of the government shutdown - and one of them called African-Americans 'animals.' Those posts were first reported and obtained by liberal website ThinkProgress Thursday and included comments mocking two black people outside his Washington apartment. Cole's Facebook page is now shut down. One post said 'So apparently the closing of the National Zoo has forced the animals to conduct their mating rituals on my street. #gentrifytoday Pt. 1.' Comments: Benjamin Cole, a top aide to Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock, resigned Thursday. Several Facebook posts he made were obtained and published by ThinkProgress and Buzzfeed . Remarks: Before his resignation, Cole had served as Rep. Aaron Schock's spokesman since March . Hidden: Cole's Facebook page is now down, but this and other posts have been preserved and circulated online . ThinkProgress reported 'That message included a video of a woman, shouting and seemingly engaged in an argument with someone not visible as she walked.' The news outlet preserved a post from that day which said '#gentrifytoday Pt. 3. 'This is where she finds another glass bottle, and breaks it on their stoop to use as a weapon.' A December 13, 2013 that was saved said 'one of the hood rats on my street just got shot by another hood rat. I was right there when the gun was fired.' A preserved Facebook post from last Thursday said: '"You white people need to learn." 'That's what she said to me, after throwing an elbow at me as I walked by, and just before I filed an assault claim against a Black female accompanied by 4 Black males and 1 Hispanic male standing on 14th Street a W NW. '"Do you have a problem talking to me?" 'That's what the Black Metro police officer said to me when he began asking me to explain what happened.' Racial exchange: Cole said last week 'The fact remains that White people who live in my building are routinely harassed by Black miscreants who blockade the sidewalks and entryways in front of and behind my building' Dialogue: Cole also seemingly joked about the 2012 film 'Django Unchained,' which follows a freed slave's quest for vengeance . Buzzfeed reported Thursday it found two more of Cole's Facebook posts. The first, from August 16, 2010, said 'thinks they should build a mosque on the White House grounds.' In the comments section on that post, Cole wrote 'I wasn't talking about the Ground Zero mosque. I just think it would be nice for the President to have his own house of worship, since he's not been able to find one suitable in DC since 2004 when he moved here.' The second was from January 22, 2013, in which Cole uploaded a video he described as 'Lata sucka!' and referred to 2012 film 'Django Unchained,' which follows a freed slave's quest for vengeance. Cole commented on his own post 'For a second, I thought maybe Quentin Tarantino was filming a new installment in the Django series. It was so very exciting. All the pretty lights. All the law enforcement. All the shouting.' Buzzfeed also found a comment Cole made on his January 29 post. It read 'I'm all too worried about the deportables, as you know. I am doing, however, my absolute best to put as many Black criminals who live and loiter on my street behind bars. And if I found any White, Hispanic, Arab, Aleutian, Islander, or other such race causing mischief in my neighborhood, I would pursue their arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment as well.' Gawker reported that nearly all of Cole's Facebook cover photos were of First Lady Michelle Obama. Former staffer: Benjamin Cole (left) worked for Illinois Republican Rep. Aaron Schock (right) Scandal: Earlier this week, Cole tried to stop a Washington Post reporter from taking photos of Schock's congressional office, which is decorated in a style modeled after the TV show 'Downton Abbey' Concern: 'Are you taking pictures of the office?' the Washington Post quoted Cole as asking a reporter. 'Who told you you could do that?' Schock (R-IL) said in a statement to The Peoria Journal Star 'I am extremely disappointed by the inexcusable and offensive online comments made by a member of my staff. I would expect better from any member of my team. Upon learning about them I met with Mr. Cole and he offered his resignation which I have accepted.' Earlier this week, Cole tried to stop a Washington Post reporter from taking photos of Schock's congressional office, which is decorated in a style modeled after the TV show 'Downton Abbey.' 'Are you taking pictures of the office?' the newspaper quoted Cole as asking. 'Who told you you could do that?' A staff member then asked the reporter to delete the photos from his cell phone, the Post reported. A watchdog group has requested an ethics inquiry over the interior design work, which was donated by Illinois interior decorator Annie Brahler. House rules broadly prohibit members of Congress from accepting gifts or services valued at more than $50. The rules include numerous exemptions, including one that allows gifts from personal friends. Dismissal: A watchdog group has requested an ethics inquiry over the interior design work, which was donated by Illinois interior decorator Annie Brahler . Brahler, who owns an Illinois-based firm called Euro Trash, also decorated Schock's previous Washington office. Schock told ABC News Wednesday that he paid Brahler about $6,000 to decorate his office four years ago and will pay her again this year once he receives an invoice. He used a personal check last time and expects to do so again, Schock said. The 33-year-old Schock acknowledged that the brightly decorated office is more distinctive than most in Congress, but he said, 'I've never been an old crusty white guy.' He also claimed to have never watched the PBS program. 'My office last year, or four years ago was a dark navy,' Schock said in his interview with the news outlet. 'And so obviously it wasn't of interest four years ago. So I think the fact that it's red makes people go, "Wow, that's different." I'm not upset about the red walls.' 'I'm different,' Schock, who represents the Peoria and Springfield areas, told ABC News. 'I came to Congress at 27. When I go take a personal vacation I don’t sit on the beach, I go do active things. 'And so, I'm also not going to live in a cave. So when I post an Instagram photo with me and my friends, as Taylor Swift said, "Haters gonna hate."'
A top aide to Rep. Aaron Schock resigned Thursday following published reports that he posted racially charged comments on social media .
Benjamin Cole had served as the four-term Republican lawmaker's spokesman since March .
One of Cole's October 2013 Facebook posts called African-Americans 'animals'
He also described watching 'hood rats' in a December 2013 post .
Schock (R-IL) has said he was 'extremely disappointed by the inexcusable and offensive online comments made by a member of my staff'
A top aide to Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigned Thursday following published reports that he posted racially charged comments on social media. Benjamin Cole had served as the four-term Republican lawmaker's spokesman since March. Cole's October 13, 2013 Facebook posts were published in the middle of the government shutdown - and one of them called African-Americans 'animals.' Those posts were first reported and obtained by liberal website ThinkProgress Thursday and included comments mocking two black people outside his Washington apartment. Cole's Facebook page is now shut down. One post said 'So apparently the closing of the National Zoo has forced the animals to conduct their mating rituals on my street. #gentrifytoday Pt. 1.' Comments: Benjamin Cole, a top aide to Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock, resigned Thursday. Several Facebook posts he made were obtained and published by ThinkProgress and Buzzfeed . Remarks: Before his resignation, Cole had served as Rep. Aaron Schock's spokesman since March . Hidden: Cole's Facebook page is now down, but this and other posts have been preserved and circulated online . ThinkProgress reported 'That message included a video of a woman, shouting and seemingly engaged in an argument with someone not visible as she walked.' The news outlet preserved a post from that day which said '#gentrifytoday Pt. 3. 'This is where she finds another glass bottle, and breaks it on their stoop to use as a weapon.' A December 13, 2013 that was saved said 'one of the hood rats on my street just got shot by another hood rat. I was right there when the gun was fired.' A preserved Facebook post from last Thursday said: '"You white people need to learn." 'That's what she said to me, after throwing an elbow at me as I walked by, and just before I filed an assault claim against a Black female accompanied by 4 Black males and 1 Hispanic male standing on 14th Street a W NW. '"Do you have a problem talking to me?" 'That's what the Black Metro police officer said to me when he began asking me to explain what happened.' Racial exchange: Cole said last week 'The fact remains that White people who live in my building are routinely harassed by Black miscreants who blockade the sidewalks and entryways in front of and behind my building' Dialogue: Cole also seemingly joked about the 2012 film 'Django Unchained,' which follows a freed slave's quest for vengeance . Buzzfeed reported Thursday it found two more of Cole's Facebook posts. The first, from August 16, 2010, said 'thinks they should build a mosque on the White House grounds.' In the comments section on that post, Cole wrote 'I wasn't talking about the Ground Zero mosque. I just think it would be nice for the President to have his own house of worship, since he's not been able to find one suitable in DC since 2004 when he moved here.' The second was from January 22, 2013, in which Cole uploaded a video he described as 'Lata sucka!' and referred to 2012 film 'Django Unchained,' which follows a freed slave's quest for vengeance. Cole commented on his own post 'For a second, I thought maybe Quentin Tarantino was filming a new installment in the Django series. It was so very exciting. All the pretty lights. All the law enforcement. All the shouting.' Buzzfeed also found a comment Cole made on his January 29 post. It read 'I'm all too worried about the deportables, as you know. I am doing, however, my absolute best to put as many Black criminals who live and loiter on my street behind bars. And if I found any White, Hispanic, Arab, Aleutian, Islander, or other such race causing mischief in my neighborhood, I would pursue their arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment as well.' Gawker reported that nearly all of Cole's Facebook cover photos were of First Lady Michelle Obama. Former staffer: Benjamin Cole (left) worked for Illinois Republican Rep. Aaron Schock (right) Scandal: Earlier this week, Cole tried to stop a Washington Post reporter from taking photos of Schock's congressional office, which is decorated in a style modeled after the TV show 'Downton Abbey' Concern: 'Are you taking pictures of the office?' the Washington Post quoted Cole as asking a reporter. 'Who told you you could do that?' Schock (R-IL) said in a statement to The Peoria Journal Star 'I am extremely disappointed by the inexcusable and offensive online comments made by a member of my staff. I would expect better from any member of my team. Upon learning about them I met with Mr. Cole and he offered his resignation which I have accepted.' Earlier this week, Cole tried to stop a Washington Post reporter from taking photos of Schock's congressional office, which is decorated in a style modeled after the TV show 'Downton Abbey.' 'Are you taking pictures of the office?' the newspaper quoted Cole as asking. 'Who told you you could do that?' A staff member then asked the reporter to delete the photos from his cell phone, the Post reported. A watchdog group has requested an ethics inquiry over the interior design work, which was donated by Illinois interior decorator Annie Brahler. House rules broadly prohibit members of Congress from accepting gifts or services valued at more than $50. The rules include numerous exemptions, including one that allows gifts from personal friends. Dismissal: A watchdog group has requested an ethics inquiry over the interior design work, which was donated by Illinois interior decorator Annie Brahler . Brahler, who owns an Illinois-based firm called Euro Trash, also decorated Schock's previous Washington office. Schock told ABC News Wednesday that he paid Brahler about $6,000 to decorate his office four years ago and will pay her again this year once he receives an invoice. He used a personal check last time and expects to do so again, Schock said. The 33-year-old Schock acknowledged that the brightly decorated office is more distinctive than most in Congress, but he said, 'I've never been an old crusty white guy.' He also claimed to have never watched the PBS program. 'My office last year, or four years ago was a dark navy,' Schock said in his interview with the news outlet. 'And so obviously it wasn't of interest four years ago. So I think the fact that it's red makes people go, "Wow, that's different." I'm not upset about the red walls.' 'I'm different,' Schock, who represents the Peoria and Springfield areas, told ABC News. 'I came to Congress at 27. When I go take a personal vacation I don’t sit on the beach, I go do active things. 'And so, I'm also not going to live in a cave. So when I post an Instagram photo with me and my friends, as Taylor Swift said, "Haters gonna hate."'
A top aide to Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock resigned Thursday following published reports that he posted racially charged comments on social media. Benjamin Cole had served as the four-term Republican lawmaker's spokesman since March. Cole's October 13, 2013 Facebook posts were African-Americans 'animals.' Those posts were Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock, resigned Thursday. that?' Schock (R-IL) said in a statement to The by the inexcusable and offensive online comments made by a member of my staff. I would expect