A Republican official in Pennsylvania who made several racist Facebook posts last year in response to NFL players kneeling during the national anthem has resigned.
Carla Maloney, the secretary of the Republican Committee of Beaver County, repeatedly referred to black NFL players as “baboons,” according to the Beaver County Times.
While the comments ― which were made prior to Maloney being appointed to her position ― have since been deleted, the Beaver Countian obtained screenshots of the posts.
“Tired of these over paid ignorant blacks telling me what I should believe in,” she said in one post. “I will tell you what I believe in and that is our Flag the National Anthem and America period end of story … You don’t like it here go to Africa see how you like it there. We are all Americans not African American not Hispanic American. WE ARE ALL AMERICAN.”
In another post referring to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who chose not to appear on the field during the playing of the national anthem last September, Maloney said that the team was “just as bad as the rest of the over paid baboons.”
“You respect your flag, country and our national anthem. How many men and women have lost limbs or died to protect this country and you baboons want respect,” she said. “If you want respect you need to earn it and so far you haven’t. Stop watching, or going to a game and paying for over priced food, water and tickets. Let’s see how the baboons get paid when white people stop paying their salaries.”
Following the tendering of her resignation on Friday, the Republican Committee of Beaver County said Maloney’s views were “abhorrent and have no place in reasonable public discourse.”
In a letter to committee Chairman Chip Kohser, Maloney apologized for her “distasteful, inappropriate, and insensitive social media posts.”
“Those that know me know that I come from a diverse family that represents modern America,” she said. “I know my posts and comments were disrespectful to not only the people that I love, but families across the country.”
Former NFL player Walter Dunson told CNN that Maloney’s remarks were a byproduct of a culture created by President Donald Trump whereby people feel such comments are acceptable to make.
“None of this surprises me at all. We had this conversation almost a year ago as it pertains to the president,” he said. “As players, we’re just taken aback about all of this. Our goal isn’t to be disruptive by any means … we’re just trying to make everyone understand that we are standing against police brutality.”