The mayor of Clay, West. Va., a town of roughly 500 people, has resigned after an exchange on a Facebook post in which a county official compared First Lady Michelle Obama to an “ape in heels.”
Pamela Taylor — who worked as director of the Clay County Development Corporation — wrote on Facebook: “It will be so refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady back in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a (sic) Ape in heels.”
Mayor Beverly Whaling — considered to be a progressive Republican — commented on the post saying: “Just made my day Pam,” the screengrab of the post shows.
CNN affiliate WSAZ first broke the news about the Facebook post via a screen grab on Sunday. The post went viral soon after.
Whaling submitted her letter of resignation on Tuesday afternoon. She was not present as council members voted to accept her resignation at night.
Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that Taylor was “removed from her position” according to workers at the Clay County Development Corporation.
The West Virginia Democratic Party apologized to First Lady Obama, saying “radical, hateful, and racist” notions are what the party fights against.
