Political uproar intensifies over hanging of Kentucky governor in effigy
The hanging of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in effigy from a tree Sunday at the end of a Second Amendment rally on the Capitol grounds sparked more political uproar Tuesday.
The Kentucky Democratic Party called on Republican state Rep. Savannah Maddox of Dry Ridge to resign, claiming she is cozy with a white supremacy group that it said did the hanging.
If she does not resign on her own, said state Democratic Party chair Ben Self, House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers should call on her to resign from the legislature.
Maddox said she condemns “all acts of hatred” and has no plans to resign.
“As a direct result of the Kentucky Democratic Party’s reckless but deliberate attempt to vilify me and distract Kentuckians from their failed liberal agenda, I have received thousands of hateful messages, nasty phone calls, and a litany of vile comments targeting myself and my family,” Maddox said in an email to the Herald-Leader. “I did not attend Sunday’s protest, and am not involved or affiliated with the individuals who engaged in this malicious action toward Gov. Beshear. I condemn all acts of hatred that further polarize Kentucky’s political environment, and look forward to working with House and Senate members during the Interim to get Kentucky back on track.“
Pictures and videos taken during the protest showed an effigy of Beshear that was hung in a tree along with a sign that read “Sic Semper Tyrannis.”
That is a Latin phase that translates to, “thus always to tyrants.” John Wilkes Booth wrote in his diary that he shouted the phrase after shooting President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, in part because of its association with the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.
Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear posted on her Facebook page appreciation to a group of people who showed support Monday in front of the Governor’s Mansion for the governor and his family.
“Love always wins over hate,” she said. “The Kentuckians who stood in front of our home today with signs of encouragement and positivity have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.”
The Kentucky State Police had little to say Tuesday about the protest.
“The Kentucky State Police does not comment on the level of security provided to protect the governor, nor any inquiries that we receive regarding these efforts,” said Sgt. Josh Lawson, commander of the state police public affairs branch.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Louisville, said Tuesday at a media availability at the University of Kentucky that the hanging “was completely outrageous and unacceptable. We all believe in freedom to speak in this country and the opportunity to demonstrate. But that episode, I believe on Sunday, was completely unacceptable, it’s not what Kentucky is and I hope that we will not be seeing that again.”
The hanging effigy of Beshear garnered national attention and outrage — and an outcry from the state Democratic Party against several Republicans.
In addition to criticizing Maddox, the party said some Republican leaders did “the right thing” in denouncing the hanging but others used “backhanded comments” about it or said nothing at all.
“This is not the time to air disagreements you may have with the governor,” said Marisa McNee, a spokesperson for the state Democratic Party. “This needs to be condemned in plain clear language, anything less is inappropriate. It’s clear that several in the Kentucky GOP are more focused on winning votes of a white supremacy movement than doing what’s right.”
The Democratic Party said Don Thrasher, a Republican candidate this year for state representative with the Nelson County Republican Party posted a “history lesson” about effigies and claimed no one could know the “full intentions” of those who hung the effigy.
It said U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Bowling Green, is “eerily silent” on the hanging. Paul did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
The Kentucky Republican Party had no immediate response to the Kentucky Democratic Party’s comments.
This story was originally published May 26, 2020 at 4:29 PM.
