Trump campaign chair in Ohio resigns after claiming there was 'no racism' in the U.S. before Obama was elected

UPDATE 2:46 P.M.: Kathy Miller has resigned from her role as campaign chairwoman for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Ohio’s Mahoning County over what she called "inappropriate comments" about racism during a recent interview with The Guardian, according to The Hill. Trump's Ohio state director, Bob Paduchik, said in a statement that Miller was a volunteer and was not authorized to speak on behalf of the campaign.

Original story below

Kathy Miller, campaign chairwoman for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Ohio’s Mahoning County, told The Guardian that there was “no racism” in the United States prior to the election of President Barack Obama. The claim was made during an interview with the paper published Thursday.

Kathy Miller, campaign chairwoman for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Ohio’s Mahoning County (Image source: The Guardian)

“I don’t think there was any racism until Obama got elected. We never had problems like this,” Miller said, adding, “Now, with the people with the guns, and shooting up neighborhoods, and not being responsible citizens, that’s a big change, and I think that’s the philosophy that Obama has perpetuated on America.”

Asked if Trump’s candidacy was contributing to bringing racism to the forefront, Miller said that was just “the media making stuff up.”

“He’s very willing to talk about issues that have never been discussed publicly,” Miller answered.

“If you’re black and you haven’t been successful in the last 50 years, it’s your own fault. You’ve had every opportunity, it was given to you,” she added. “You’ve had the same schools everybody else went to. You had benefits to go to college that white kids didn’t have. You had all the advantages and didn’t take advantage of it. It’s not our fault, certainly.”

Miller also dismissed racial tension in the country during the 1960s. “Growing up as a kid, there was no racism, believe me,” she said. “We were just all kids going to school.”

When asked about segregation and the civil rights movement, Miller replied, “I never experienced it. I never saw that as anything.”

Miller also attributed lower voter turnout among blacks to “the way they’re raised.” When the Guardian noted that some people might consider her remarks offensive, Miller replied, “I don’t care, it’s the truth.”

—

Follow the author of this story on Twitter and Facebook:

Follow @kgscanlon