El Paso GOP Chairman Appears in Sacha Baron Cohen Comedy Film

Michael Aboud, chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, appears in a new Sacha Baron Cohen comedy film releasing nationwide Friday through Amazon MGM Studios for one weekend only.

The film, "Ali G: Who Iz I," was written and directed by Cohen, the actor known for creating satirical mock-documentaries featuring real people who are often unaware of how their footage will be used. According to reporting by the Guardian cited by KVIA, Aboud appears in a fictional training program where Cohen's character recruits him for a mission involving a fictional South American drug kingpin's baby.

In the scene, Aboud drops a lifelike prosthetic baby from a drone at substantial height to prevent it from touching U.S. soil, according to the Guardian report released Thursday. The Guardian reported that Aboud was not informed the project would be a comedy and believed he was participating in a non-fiction film.

When reached by ABC-7, Aboud said he was not "an active participant" and did not "give his signature to anyone" before filming started. ABC-7 sought an interview with Aboud to discuss his reaction to the film and also reached out to the Republican Party of Texas for comment.

Cohen is also known for playing the character Borat in films of similar format, where unsuspecting participants interact with his fictional personas in scenarios designed for comedic effect.