A city councilman in Rapid City, S.D., has apologized to a black KOTA reporter for questioning her citizenship and suggesting she be deported “back to Kenya with Obama.”
In August, KOTA reporter Taisha Walker called Rapid City alderman Bill Clayton and asked him how he would vote on a planned increase in property taxes. According to the Rapid City Journal, Clayton responded by asking her how she planned to vote in the Presidential election.
“Should we deport you back to Kenya with Obama?” Alderman reportedly asked. “Are you even American; are you American?”
Walker subsequently filed a complaint with the city. Alderman, who was also investigated by the city council for comments he made about a fellow council member, claims that he does not watch KOTA and did not know Walker was black.
At a city council meeting yesterday, Clayton publicly apologized for the comments, according to KOTA:
[h/t Romenesko]I apologize to the KOTA reporter, I apologize to everybody on this council for any discord that I might have caused, I apologize to the city staff who had to spend their valuable time taking care of this, I apologize to the citizens of Rapid City.