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Pensacola State Representative Mike Hill is coming under fire from Florida Democrats and some members of his own party for an exchange he had with a constituent who suggested Hill should sponsor legislation that would make homosexuality punishable by death.

While Hill didn’t agree with the suggestion, he’s been accused of not being critical enough and laughing during the exchange.

“A statement that just came out of the audience, I tried to brush it aside,” said Hill.

Hill said the exchange has been misrepresented.

“There was no way at all that I condoned or even said the words that gays should be executed,” said Hill. “That’s just absurd.”

Some Republican’s, including House Speaker Jose Oliva, took to Twitter and called on Hill to apologize saying in part, “I believe he owes his colleagues an apology and he owes the Republican caucus a better example of political courage.”

Representative Hill has not apologized.

Instead, he has said he’s the victim of a ‘social media lynching’.
“They know I’m a Christian,” said Hill. “They know that I am true to my convictions and they know that I am going to bring the heartbeat detection bill to this next legislative session.”

Democratic Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith said Hill should resign or be ousted from the Legislature.

“As a gay man who has survived anti-gay hate violence myself… this is completely unacceptable,” said Smith.

A rally has been scheduled in Pensacola Monday evening demanding Hill’s resignation.

Hill said he has received violent threats since the Pensacola News Journal first ran the story this weekend andhas threatened legal action against the paper if any of the threats come to fruition.