NAACP Wants GOP Leader Investigated For Saying Obama Part Of Islamic State

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Maine branch of the NAACP wants an investigation into whether a state senator violated the Legislature’s code of ethics by sharing offensive Facebook posts, including one that suggested President Barack Obama’s family is part of the Islamic State group.

Rachel Talbot Ross of the Portland NAACP branch joined Senate Democrats at the Statehouse on Friday to condemn Republican Sen. Michael Willette’s posts.

Ross says Willette should be temporarily removed as chairman of the State and Local Government Committee.

She says the Republican Senate president refused to meet with her and Democratic leaders about the issue Friday.

Willette has apologized and says his posts were inappropriate.

A Senate Republican spokeswoman says Democrats are playing politics and the Senate president doesn’t believe a meeting would be productive with them present.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. What I’d like to know: Where the hell are the Democrats in Maine and why aren’t they speaking out against racism and demanding Willette resigns!

    The Republicans are going to do nothing about racism and inequality. If the Dems don’t start showing up, then what do we need them for?

  2. You may have answered your own question: Dems are weak, spineless and feckless.

    And I certainly would not call a post from an elected official calling the president a member of Islamic State “inappropriate.” It’s slander.

    I hate these putrid fucks.

  3. Can we PLEASE take these stupid Teabaggers, strap them to a rocket, and eject them into the Sun? PLEASE?

  4. What’s the deal with Maine, anyway? I used to think the old Dana Carvey/Stephen Colbert skit “Skinheads from Maine” was just random. Apparently, that’s a real thing.

  5. As odious as it is, this statement falls under free speech protection. I don’t know about Maine’s constitution but it would surprised me if if didn have a US Constitution Article 1, Sec. 6 clause that protects legislators when making statements when in office.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

30 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for ajm Avatar for richardinjax Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for afblac Avatar for mymy Avatar for chammy Avatar for chuck_voellinger Avatar for baffie2 Avatar for johnscotus Avatar for sonsofares Avatar for normankelley Avatar for borisjimbo Avatar for go2goal Avatar for maxaroo Avatar for jrfunkenstein Avatar for darrtown Avatar for benthere Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for Philo Avatar for edhedh Avatar for lada_sue Avatar for briannaamore

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: