SPRINGBORO — Sonny Thomas, founder and president of the Springboro Tea Party, described as ‘facetious” the racially insensitive statement he made on the group’s Twitter site, triggering cancellations of speakers expected to participate in a rally scheduled for this weekend.

Thomas said he texted the remark to the Web site in March, while attending a health care rally in Washington D.C., where he was heckled by supporters of amnesty for illegal immigrants.

“I take full responsibility for the action and it was not my intention to be insensitive. While it is never appropriate to make such a facetious comment, I hope that we can put this issue behind us for the greater good,” he said in the posting at www.SpringboroTeaParty.com.

Thomas, a candidate to represent his precinct on the county GOP’s central committee, posted the comment explaining the racially insensitive statement after a handful of candidates for state and local offices cited the remark in withdrawing from the rally set for Saturday, April 17, at North Park in Springboro.

“Coincidently the song ‘Spicks and Specks’ by the Bee Gees had been on my player. I made the reference to the song not stopping to think of the era that it was produced and, taken out of context, could be offensive to some people,” Thomas, a freelance music promoter, said in the posting.

In a phone interview, Thomas denied ever bruising his son, as was alleged in a domestic violence child protection order, and emphasized his anger was focused on illegal immigrants, not legal American citizens with mixed heritage, like his son.

Despite the cancellations, Thomas said he continued to get support for his group and the rally.

“I’ve had more support than anything else,” he said. “Everything’s a go.”

The rally is to be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the park in Springboro. As of Monday, the list of speakers at the event was under revision.