The Illinois Republican Party on Wednesday revoked credentials from one of its delegates to the Republican National Convention who made racially charged comments online and used the social media handle “whitepride,” The Chicago Tribune reported.
Lori Gayne, a Trump delegate, posted on a photo of police officers to her Facebook on the opening day of the RNC, according to the report.
“Our brave snipers just waiting for some “N—- to try something. Love them,” the caption read, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“The Illinois Republican Party has zero tolerance for racism of any kind and threats of violence against anyone,” Illinois state chairman Tim Schneider said in a statement to the Tribune. “Let me be unequivocally clear, racism and threats of violence have absolutely no place in the Illinois Republican Party or in a civil and inclusive society.”
Gayne told the Sun-Times in a statement that she “in no way intended to make racist or threatening statements.” She said her comments were “ignorant and intolerant, and they cannot be justified.”
“I respect the decision of the Illinois Republican Party and understand their concerns about my safety and that of the entire Illinois delegation. Please accept my deepest apologies,” Gayne said, as quoted by the newspaper.
Gayne hadn’t shied away from her racially charged Internet persona prior to the convention, either. The Tribune reported on Gayne’s use of the social media handle “whitepride” in a profile on the state’s delegates published back in May. She told the newspaper at the time that she was “proud to be white.”
“Just like black people are proud to be black and now, as white people, whenever we say something critical we’re punished as if we’re racists,” Gayne told the Tribune. “I’m tired of it. I’m very proud.”
A spokeswoman for Trump didn’t immediately respond Thursday to TPM’s request for comment.
