The mayor of a West Virginia town ensnared in controversy over a Facebook post that called first lady Michelle Obama an “ape in heels” has resigned amid fallout from the racist remark.
Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling was embroiled in backlash after she commented in agreement on the since-deleted post, which was written by Pamela Ramsey Taylor, the director of Clay County Development Corp. “Just made my day Pam,” Whaling wrote.
More than 157,000 people have signed an online petition calling for both their ousters. Taylor, who runs a nonprofit that provides services to elderly and low-income residents in the county, has been put on leave, she told WCHS-TV.
Whaling resigned, effective immediately, according to the Associated Press, which cited Joe Coleman, the town recorder in Clay, West Virginia. Earlier, she issued a public apology in which she maintains she is not a racist person.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Your Vote Is Safe
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- How the Electoral College Actually Works
- Robert Zemeckis Just Wants to Move You
- Column: Fear and Hoping in Ohio
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Contact us at letters@time.com