Local Alabama GOP group apologizes after posting KKK imagery on its Facebook page
A local GOP group in Alabama has deleted its Facebook page after claiming it accidentally posted racist imagery on Tuesday. The post sparked outrage from local constituents, as well as state leaders.
The Lawrence Country Republican Party shared the image — which depicted the Republican National Committee elephant logo and the figures of three hooded Klansmen in between its legs — in an announcement naming the new county chairman, Shanon Terry.
The image, created by illustrator Woody Harrington, was originally used in a Mother Jones article titled, "The Republican Party is Racist and Soulless. Just Ask This Veteran GOP Strategist."
Harrington shared the image on Instagram Wednesday, with the caption: "2 years ago I created this image for a piece in [Mother Jones] about the hate, bigotry and racism hidden within Trump's GOP. Its now come to my attention that the Hate Elephant has been given new life (without permission or credit of course)."
Terry apologized for the group's Facebook post.
"A google search picture of a GOP elephant was used and later found to have hidden images that do not represent the views or beliefs of the Lawrence County Republican Party," he wrote. "As chairman I take full responsibility for the error."
According to CBS News affiliate WHNT, Terry is a member of the Lawrence County School Board, and has said he will not resign from his position.
State Rep. Anthony Daniels — a Democrat who represents Alabama's 53rd district and is the youngest and first African American Minority Leader of the Alabama House of Representatives — tweeted, "Shame on the Lawrence County Republican Party for this disgusting image."
The group's Facebook page, which had been active since 2009, was deleted as of 6 p.m. EDT Thursday.
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C Mandler is a social media producer and trending topics writer for CBS News, focusing on American politics and LGBTQ+ issues.
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