California Republican apologizes for email
Source: Agencies |
April 20, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A CALIFORNIA Republican official who sent out an email picturing the United States President Barack Obama's face on the body of a baby chimpanzee issued an apology late on Monday after a weekend of criticism that ended with a strongly worded public rebuke from the local Republican Party chairman, who also called for an ethics investigation into the incident.
Marilyn Davenport, a 74-year-old elected member of the Orange County Republican Central Committee, sent an email on Monday afternoon asking for forgiveness for her "unwise behavior," just before the local Republican committee met for its monthly summit at a hotel in Irvine.
The email sent by Davenport to a small group of Republican committee members last Friday shows an image posed like a family portrait, of chimpanzee parents and child, with Obama's face superimposed on the young chimp. Text beneath the picture reads, "Now you know why no birth certificate."
Some voters have insisted since the last presidential election that Obama is ineligible to hold the United States' highest elected office because, they argue, he was actually born in Kenya, his father's homeland. Obama's mother was an American citizen.
Birth certificate
Hawaii officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's citizenship, and his Hawaiian birth certificate has been made public. Courts have rebuffed lawsuits challenging Obama's eligibility.
"To my fellow Americans and to everyone else who has seen this email I forwarded and was offended by my action, I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness of my unwise behavior," Davenport's apology read.
Davenport, who was not present at the meeting, represents the 72nd Assembly District in Orange County on the committee, which is made up of volunteer officials elected for two-year terms.
The county's Republican chairman, Scott Baugh, told about 75 party members that despite Davenport's "sincere apology," he still condemned her actions and believed she should resign because her presence on the committee would remain controversial.
"The email is without question extremely racist," Baugh said, adding the body's ethics committee would investigate the incident, interview Davenport and make a report back to the executive committee within a week.
Marilyn Davenport, a 74-year-old elected member of the Orange County Republican Central Committee, sent an email on Monday afternoon asking for forgiveness for her "unwise behavior," just before the local Republican committee met for its monthly summit at a hotel in Irvine.
The email sent by Davenport to a small group of Republican committee members last Friday shows an image posed like a family portrait, of chimpanzee parents and child, with Obama's face superimposed on the young chimp. Text beneath the picture reads, "Now you know why no birth certificate."
Some voters have insisted since the last presidential election that Obama is ineligible to hold the United States' highest elected office because, they argue, he was actually born in Kenya, his father's homeland. Obama's mother was an American citizen.
Birth certificate
Hawaii officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's citizenship, and his Hawaiian birth certificate has been made public. Courts have rebuffed lawsuits challenging Obama's eligibility.
"To my fellow Americans and to everyone else who has seen this email I forwarded and was offended by my action, I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness of my unwise behavior," Davenport's apology read.
Davenport, who was not present at the meeting, represents the 72nd Assembly District in Orange County on the committee, which is made up of volunteer officials elected for two-year terms.
The county's Republican chairman, Scott Baugh, told about 75 party members that despite Davenport's "sincere apology," he still condemned her actions and believed she should resign because her presence on the committee would remain controversial.
"The email is without question extremely racist," Baugh said, adding the body's ethics committee would investigate the incident, interview Davenport and make a report back to the executive committee within a week.
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