Pamela Ramsey Taylor, former director of the Clay Country Development Corporation.
The West Virginia government official who referred to First Lady Michelle Obama as an “ape in heels” in a Facebook post last month has been removed from her job once again.
Pamela Taylor, former director of the nonprofit Clay County Development Corp. in Clay, West Virginia, sparked intense backlash and international condemnation after her racially offensive remarks went viral. She was forced out of her governmental role back in November but was reinstated to the position just weeks later. Now, West Virginia state officials say she’s gone for good.
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s office announced earlier this week that an outside company, the Appalachian Area Agency on Aging, would manage the CCDC over the next six months in the wake of the racially insensitive incident. The debacle and subsequent backlash prompted the state to review its contracts with the government-funded nonprofit, Charleston Gazette-Mail reported.
“Following the state’s request for specific assurances that the CCDC is following anti-discrimination policies, we have been assured that Pamela Taylor has been removed from her position as CCDC director,” Tomblin’s office said in a statement.
The local nonprofit formerly headed by Taylor was in no way affiliated with the city of Clay, a small West Virginia town not too far from Charleston. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that the company, which provides assistance to low-income residents and the elderly, received close to $1.5 million in federal funding and $363,000 in state funding in 2014.
Following the stunning outcome of the Nov. 8 election, Taylor took to Facebook to express relief that Melania Trump, wife of president-elect Donald Trump, would be replacing Michelle Obama as First Lady of the United States.
Pamela Ramsey Taylor’s racist Facebook post about First Lady Michelle Obama.
“It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified first lady back in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a [sic] ape in heels,” she wrote.
Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling commented below Taylor’s racist post, saying, “Just made my day Pam.”
Whaling came under fire for responding to the offensive post and ultimately resigned from her position. Both women have since apologized for their remarks.
