Nonprofit Worker Who Made Racist Facebook Post Directed at Michelle Obama Removed from Job

The West Virginia nonprofit worker who wrote a racist Facebook post directed at First Lady Michelle Obama just after the election has been removed from her position as director of the Clay County Development Corporation, according to a statement from West Virginia Gov. Earl Tomblin's office.

The nonprofit worker, Pamela Taylor, caused outrage with her post made just after the election in which she referred to the first lady as an "ape in heels." At the time the post was written, Taylor was placed on leave from her job at the nonprofit and was scheduled to return to work Dec. 23.

The Charleston-Gazette Mail reported that the state's commissioner of senior services said the organization had not been following nonprofit law with some concerns being defying open meeting laws and not responding to public information requests from private individuals and the media. On Tuesday, Tomblin's office said the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services has secured an agreement between the Appalachian Area Agency on Aging and the CCDC through which the AAA will manage the CCDC on a daily basis for a term of six months beginning today to ensure the CCDC is in compliance with the state of West Virginia.

A report in West Virginia Metro News said Taylor's Facebook status caused other concerns about the way the agency was run to be reported to state officials. The CCDC provides services to low-income and elderly residents through state and federal contracts. The Gazette Mail reported that in 2014 the nonprofit received about $363,000 from the state.

The Appalachian Area Agency on Aging is funded by the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services to administer federal and state funds for senior programs.

"The agreement, which was approved by the CCDC board of directors this past Friday, includes oversight of work carried out by the CCDC as part of state contracts to provide essential services for senior citizens in Clay County," the statement from Tomblin's office said. "Robert Roswall, Commissioner of the Bureau of Senior Services, met with representatives of the AAA and CCDC today to ensure continuity of the state services provided as this transition takes place.

"This six-month time period will give the CCDC an opportunity to make any management or governance changes necessary to ensure the entity is in full contractual compliance with the state of West Virginia. 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."

The racist Facebook post was deleted, as was Taylor's own Facebook page. Several people commented on the post, including the mayor of Clay, Beverly Whaling.

"Just made my day Pam," Whaling wrote. She later resigned.

Both women apologized for the post when it first came to light, but it wasn't enough to quell public outrage.

Racist comments directed toward the Obamas are unfortunately not uncommon. Last week, Carl Paladino, a school board member in upstate New York and co-chair of Donald Trump's New York campaign, said his wishes for 2017 included the president dying and the first lady being sent to Africa. The comments prompted swift condemnation from state and local officials as well as from the Trump transition team.

In a statement released Tuesday, Paladino expressed more regret than he originally did but said he won't resign his position from the school board despite pressure from local officials and PTA members.

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