Roy Moore threatens legal action after ‘illicit scheme’ from Sacha Baron Cohen, Showtime

Roy Moore is threatening legal action against Sacha Baron Cohen, adding his name to the list of political figures who say they were duped into appearing on the British comedian’s new show.

The former Alabama GOP Senate hopeful said Cohen tricked him into participating in his Showtime program “Who is America?” by inviting him to receive an award for his “strong support of Israel.”

“I did not know Sacha Cohen or that a Showtime TV series was being planned to embarrass, humiliate, and mock not only Israel, but also religious conservatives such as Sarah Palin, Joe Walsh, and Dick Cheney,” Moore, 71, said in a Thursday statement.

{mosads}Moore lost a December special election to now-Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or assault, including one who says she was 14 at the time.

“I am involved in several court cases presently to defend my honor and character against vicious false political attacks by liberals like Cohen. If Showtime airs a defamatory attack on my character, I may very well be involved in another,” Moore said. “As for Mr. Cohen, whose art is trickery, deception, and dishonesty, Alabama does not respect cowards who exhibit such traits! It’s been a long time since I fought for my country in Vietnam. I’m ready to defend her again!”

The inaugural episode of “Who is America?” — touted as a series that explores “the diverse individuals, from the infamous to the unknown across the political and cultural spectrum, who populate our unique nation” — premieres Sunday on Showtime.

“As an Alabamian, I believe in truth and honesty, which the shadowy media groups behind this illicit scheme do not,” Moore said in his statement. “Obviously, people like Cohen who mock not only Israel but those who support Israel and the principles upon which America is based, do not share my beliefs.”

“As an American, I would never hide my identity and deceive others only to mock and ridicule them as this Showtime Series is designed to do. America is not only about being proud but about being brave and standing for what we believe,” the former state Supreme Court chief justice said.

Moore is the latest high-profile Republican to contend they were hoodwinked by “Borat” star Cohen.

Earlier this week, former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin told The Daily Mail that Cohen disguised himself as a disabled military veteran in order to conduct an interview with her.

“Out of respect for what I was led to believe would be a thoughtful discussion with someone who had served in uniform, I sat through a long ‘interview’ full of Hollywoodism’s disrespect and sarcasm — but finally had enough and literally, physically removed my mic and walked out, much to Cohen’s chagrin,” Palin said.

Palin also called on Showtime, Cohen and CBS to donate all the profits from the series to military veterans groups.

A Showtime spokeswoman on Thursday declined to comment on Moore’s remarks.

-Updated July 13.