US mayor resigns after racist post calling Michelle Obama an ‘ape in heels’
Beverly Whaling, the mayor of Clay, West Virginia, resigned from her post on Tuesday after fallout from a racist Facebook post calling First Lady Michelle Obama an “ape in heels.”
Ms Whaling’s resignation went into effect immediately, the Associated Press reports, following comments made by Pamela Ramsey Taylor, the county’s former development corp director, who was also removed from her post, following Donald Trump’s election last week.
“It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House,” Ms Taylor wrote, “I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”
Ms Whaling responded by writing, “Just made my day Pam.”
After receiving waves of criticism and calls to resign, she initially apologized for her behavior and tried to convince the public that she isn’t racist.
“I was referring to my day being made for change in the White House! I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me know that I’m not in any way racist!”
African-Americans account for roughly 4 per cent of the state’s 1.8 million residents, according to statistics from the US Census. More than 77 per cent of Clay County residents voted for Mr Trump in the recent election.
After accepting Ms Whaling’s resignation, Council member Jason Hubbard said that her Facebook post was “horrific” and that “racial intolerance isn’t what this community is about.”
