First Lady Michelle Obama was hit by the Gorilla comment from South Carolina Republican Rusty DePass, two weeks ago his husband, President Barack Obama was derogated by a Republican assistant in a more racially charged way.
Sherri Goforth, an assistant of Tennessee State senator, Republican Diane Black, made a montage image and sent it out through emails under the title of Historical Keepsake Photo on May 28.
The Historical Keepsake Photo picture was made up from a collection of official portraits of 44 United States Presidents except for the current President Barack Obama who was replaced as a black frame with only cartoonish white eyeballs visible.
Sherri Goforth became under fire and made an even worse apology. “I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button. I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back,” said Goforth.
Chip Forrester, Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman, called Rep. Diane Black to fire Sherri Goforth.
“I am calling on Sen. Black to reject this racist smear and fire this staffer who, on state government time, on state government computers, using a state government email account, launched this bigoted attack on our president.”
However, Ms. Black did not dismiss Goforth and defended her decision on CNN.
“Ms. Goforth did get a verbal reprimand as well as a very strongly worded reprimand, written, that was put in her file that if this should ever occur again, that she would be terminated,” Black said.
“This is an employee who has had a stellar record,” Black said. She added that Goforth has worked in state government for more than 20 years, and has had a clean record.
“We followed policy. And that’s what you do when someone breaks the rules, you follow policy,” she said.
