SF tech CEO caught on camera hurling racist slurs at Asian family steps down, enrolls in 'anti-racist program'
A San Francisco CEO, who was caught on video shouting profanities and racist comments towards an Asian family dining at a restaurant in Carmel Valley, California, has resigned from his company - Solid8 LLC. Michael Lofthouse’s racist video went viral on July 6 where he hurled racist slurs at Jordan Liz Chan and her family celebrating a birthday on July 4 at Bernardus Lodge and Spa’s Lucia restaurant. The 37-year-old also said that he has enrolled himself in an anti-racist program “with immediate effect”.
“It is with regret that my initial statement and apology did not go far enough in addressing my behavior in Carmel last weekend and the steps that I need to take. I can confirm that I have stepped down from Solid8, terminating all business relationships with immediate effect," Lofthouse said in a statement provided to Fox Business. He continued: “I will make it my duty to ensure my personal actions do not continue to have a detrimental impact on those people closest to me. I have once again begun my journey back to sobriety and have enrolled in an anti-racist program with immediate effect.
“My comments towards the families involved were racist, hurtful, and deeply inappropriate. The reactions to what was said have been deserved and I wholeheartedly acknowledge that I am complicit in a system that enables this behavior and these broken beliefs to exist but I am dedicated to changing."
This comes after Chan shared the video of the encounter. The woman said that she was celebrating her aunt’s birthday with the family when Lofthouse started yelling at them. “Trump's gonna f--- you!" the former tech CEO said. "You f---ers need to leave... f---ing Asian piece of s---,” he was heard saying in the video. However, soon a restaurant server, identified as Gennica Cochran, intervened as she said: “Get out, you are not allowed here. You do not talk to our guests like that. They are valued guests. Get out!” while the restaurant staff managed to kick Lofthouse out.
The British born CEO, who initially called his behavior "appalling”, pleaded for Chan and her family to accept his apology. “To the Chan and Orosa families, Gennica Cochran and the restaurant Bernardus please accept my heartfelt and sincere apologies, I hope that the conversations and awareness that this incident has created can act as a catalyst for necessary change. It is my commitment to you to,” Lofthouse added.
This was the second time Lofthouse has shared his apology. In his initial apology, he stated: “My behavior in the video is appalling. This was clearly a moment where I lost control and made incredibly hurtful and divisive comments. I would like to deeply apologize to the Chan family. I can only imagine the stress and pain they feel. I was taught to respect people of all races, and I will take the time to reflect on my actions and work to better understand the inequality that so many of those around me face every day."
However, Cochran said: “I think it's the standard issued apology that you get from racists. People who believe those things and they get called out for them. I don't believe a word of it. There's no space for that and especially a CEO of a business in San Francisco, no, no.”