Update: 'Ape in Heels,' West Virginia Official Who Targeted Michelle Obama in Racist Post Finally Fired for Good
Update December 28:
Pamela Taylor has now been officially let go for good. The former director of a Clay County, West Virginia, nonprofit group will have to find new employment after the state reviewed its contracts with the nonprofit.
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin's office says the state had secured an agreement under which the Appalachian Area Agency on Aging will manage her now-former department for six months. According to the governor's office the state needs to be ensured that anti-discrimination policies are followed, which required Taylor's removal.
Originally, West Virginia bureau’s commissioner, Robert Roswall, issued a warning to the agency that states that any discrimination from staff would jeopardize their state and federal funding. Pamela Taylor has yet to publicly comment on the new developments.
Update December 12:
Pamela Taylor, the former director of a Clay County nonprofit group who was terminated after calling first lady Michelle Obama an "ape in heels," will return to her job at the end of the month, according to a letter from the agency’s acting director.
According to the letter from Leslie McGlothin to the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services, Taylor is scheduled to return to work at the Clay County Development Corp. on Friday, Dec. 23, reported the Charleston Gazette.
However, West Virginia bureau’s commissioner, Robert Roswall, issued a warning to the agency that states that any discrimination from staff would jeopardize their state and federal funding.
Update November 15:
The Clay Town Council in West Virginia has accepted the resignation of Mayor Beverly Whaling after her insensitive comment to a racist post on Facebook about first lady Michelle Obama, reported the Associated Press.
Council member Jason Hubbard condemned the "horrific" post and said, "racial intolerance isn't what this community is about." He also issued a statement that apologized on behalf of the town to anyone who is offended, including Michelle Obama.
Previous:
There is a petition out for the firing of Mayor Beverly Whaling of Clay County, West Virginia, for encouraging a racist comment made by her friend and businesswoman Pamela Ramsey Taylor, reported the New York Daily News.
After the election, Taylor took to Facebook and made a comment regarding First Lady Michelle Obama.
“It will be so refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady back in the White House,” wrote Pamela Ramsey Taylor. “I'm tired of seeing a Ape in heels."
When Taylor originally made the post, Whaling commented on the post, "Just made my day Pam."
Taylor previously served as the director of the Clay County Development Corporation. However, after her post went viral, Taylor was terminated.
Workers at Taylor’s former corporation confirmed her firing.
“All we can comment on is that she has been removed from her position," workers of the Clay County Development Corporation told WSAZ 3.
As a result of the post and the comment, a petition for the firing of the two officials has been started online. On Monday night, the petition page received over 24,000 signatures. Although Taylor has been fired, residents still want Whaling to face punishment.
Whaling has since made a statement regarding her role in the racist post.
“My comment was not intended to be racist at all,” Whaling said in a statement to The Washington Post. “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 of any way racist!”
Taylor told WSAZ that she made an apology on Facebook; however, her account has since been removed.