GOP gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis Tuesday called for the resignation of a party official after she posted a “disgusting” Facebook meme that falsely claimed Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum supports slavery reparations, Politico reported.
The meme posted by Orange County Republican Committee member Kathy Gibson— which read, "Andrew Gillum says when he wins governor of Florida ... ‘his people’ will be getting ‘paid back’ for slavery” — was yanked earlier Tuesday, Politico reported.
"Kathy Gibson should resign, and so should anyone else that subscribes to this sort of disgusting thinking,” DeSantis told Politico in a statement. "This campaign is about issues and creating a better Florida for everyone. That’s what Floridians care about, and that’s what we’ll continue to focus on."
In a caption underneath the now-deleted photo, Gibson added her own commentary, Politico reported.
“Just what every Floridian is dreaming of, Going Backward, not forward," Gibson wrote. "If anyone living in Florida at this time was a slave holder, had family that were slave holders or committed acts against African Americans please let Mayor Gillum know so he can bill you & your Family. Where I & our family lived, we were integrated in our schools & have since the 1930s.”
Gibson, who refused to comment to Politico, later claimed in a Facebook post that she was "hacked," the news outlet reported.
DeSantis last week urged Florida voters to not "monkey this up" by voting for Gillum, which critics denounced as a racist echo of an age-old stereotype. DeSantis has denied the comment was about race.
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