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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The Latest on the fallout from a racist comment about first lady Michelle Obama that a local West Virginia official posted on Facebook (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

The town recorder in Clay, West Virginia, says the mayor has resigned following her response to a racist post on Facebook about first lady Michelle Obama.

Joe Coleman said Tuesday that Mayor Beverly Whaling’s resignation is effective immediately.

Whaling earlier apologized for her response to a post made by Clay County Development Corp. director Pamela Ramsey Taylor after Republican Donald Trump’s election as president. Taylor’s post said, “It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”

Whaling responded: “Just made my day Pam.”

Whaling said earlier she isn’t racist. Taylor hasn’t returned a call seeking comment.

11:15 a.m.

The mayor of a West Virginia town has issued an apology for her response to a racist post on Facebook about first lady Michelle Obama.

Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling says her comment wasn’t intended to be racist.

Clay County Development Corp. director Pamela Ramsey Taylor made the post following Republican Donald Trump’s election as president, saying: “It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”

Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling responded: “Just made my day Pam.”

Whaling said in a statement sent to news media that she was referencing the change in the White House. She says she isn’t racist.

Taylor did not return a call seeking comment.

___

8:20 a.m.

A local West Virginia official said she has been placed on leave after she made a racist post on Facebook about first lady Michelle Obama.

Clay County Development Corp. director Pamela Ramsey Taylor made the post following Republican Donald Trump’s election as president, saying: “It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”

Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling responded: “Just made my day Pam.”

Taylor told WCHS-TV on Monday night that she was put on leave.

Clay’s town council planned to discuss the issue at a previously scheduled meeting Tuesday evening.

The post, first reported by WSAZ-TV, has caused a backlash and prompted calls for Taylor and Mayor Whaling to be fired. The post was shared hundreds of times on social media before it was deleted. The Facebook pages of Taylor and Whaling couldn’t be found Monday.

The director of a West Virginia development group and a mayor are under fire after their racist exchange about first lady Michelle Obama caused a backlash and prompted calls on social media for both women to be fired, reports The Associated Press.

After Donald Trump’s election as president, Clay County Development Corp. director Pamela Ramsey Taylor posted: “It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”

Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling responded: “Just made my day Pam.”

westvirginiaracist

Pamela Ramsey Taylor

A petition was promptly launched to have both women fired from their jobs. Nearly 2,000 signatures had been added as of Sunday night.

racisttweet

Whaling has since apologized, claiming her “made my day” comment was referring to “the change in the White House,” and not FLOTUS:

I would like to apologize for any unintentional harm caused by my comment. My comment was not intended to be racist at all. I was referring to my day being made for the change in the White House! I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me, know that I am not in any way racist! Again, I would like to apologize for this getting out of hand!

Taylor’s post, first reported by WSAZ-TV, was later deleted and replaced with an apology…but not before it was shared hundreds of times on social media.

Taylor has since deleted her entire Facebook page and is now claiming that the backlash and death threats leveled against her since posting the racist message has made her the victim of a hate crime.

Via WSAZ:

Taylor says she has been reprimanded at her job and is unsure whether she will be able to keep her position. She was also on Clay County’s pageant festival committee but tells WSAZ she does not hold any leadership positions in pageantry.

Taylor says she is working with her attorney to file a lawsuit against individual(s) who have slandered her.

She says she is sorry for everything that has happened but says she now believes the situation has turned into a “hate crime against me.”

Taylor says both she and her children have received death threats.

PHOTOS: Facebook, AP

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