Racist text sent to Atlanta mayor concerning coronavirus closures now under investigation
A racist text received by Atlanta’s mayor is under investigation by Georgia officials.
Attorney General Chris Carr’s prosecution division is looking into the coronavirus-related text sent to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, an African American Democrat, spokeswoman Katie Byrd told The Associated Press on Friday.
Carr’s decision followed a request to “immediately” do so by 15 Democratic state lawmakers who represent the Georgia city and said the text may have been a crime partially due to the fact that it was sent from what looked to be a state email address.
Though ReOpen@Georgia.gov might belong to a state employee, they conceded the email address may have been spoofed illegally.
“Your office should be able to obtain the necessary subpoenas to unmask the individuals responsible for this,” the group wrote, adding that Bottoms would cooperate and help Carr to do so.
Bottoms is a well-known supporter of former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race and has been floated as a possible pick for his running mate.
Democrats weren’t the only ones concerned about the message.
In a statement, Republican House Speaker David Ralston commended Carr’s decision to investigate, noting, “Anyone who would attempt to masquerade as acting on behalf of state government deserves to be met with the full force of law.”
Just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Bottoms took to Twitter to share a screenshot of the text.
“With my daughter looking over my shoulder, I received this message on my phone. I pray for you,” she wrote, before quoting Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Conscientious stupidity or sincere ignorance.”
The text, sent minutes before, read: “FRM:ReOpen@Georgia.gov MSG:N----r, just shut up and RE-OPEN ATLANTA!”
On Thursday, during a conference call with members of the Atlanta City Council, Bottoms said the text had also been sent to her 12-year-old son, which she said was “more concerning to me than anything.”
With News Wire Services
