WICHITA, Kansas – Facebook and Twitter land Mike Pompeo's campaign in hot water after a staffer linked supporters to a blog that uses ethnic slurs against Pompeo's opponent Raj Goyle, who is of Indian decent.
Pompeo's campaign says it was all a big mistake. But those with Goyle’s campaign say they’re not so sure.
Wednesday afternoon the Pompeo Campaign sent out two links on its Twitter and Facebook accounts. The first was a link to a story about the campaign. The second was a link to a racist blog that takes aim at Pompeo’s opponent Raj Goyle, and Indian American and President Obama.
The blog reads, “Just like his evil Muslim communist USURPER comrade, Barack Hussein Obama, this Goyle character is just another 'turban topper' we don't need in Congress."
"This goes way beyond any boundaries, it was extraordinarily offensive and there's no place in politics for this type of talk,” said Robert Becker, Raj Goyle’s communications director.
No one from the Pompeo campaign was available to answer KSN’s questions about the post, but the campaign did issue a written apology, saying a staff member posted an incorrect link, the mistakes were discovered less than an hour later and the posts were pulled down immediately.
Pompeo said in a statement, “The statements of the blogger in no way reflect my views. There is no place in campaigns or in public discourse for language of this nature. I have placed a personal call of apology and spoken to Rep. Goyle directly expressing our campaign's regret for the error."
Goyle’s campaign says they accept the apology, but are suspicious about Pompeo’s explanation, saying they do not think it was an accident.
Pompeo says he spoke with the staff member in question and is convinced there was no malice. The campaign won’t say if the staffer is facing disciplinary action.
"The internet is a wide open territory, but if anyone in this campaign would have posted anything like that on any of our communication devices and social networks, they would be fired,” Becker said. “We would not tolerate that type of bigotry in this office.”
