Texas Democrats Do Not Accept Resignation Of Chair Who Called Sen. Tim Scott An ‘Oreo’

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The Democratic Party in Lamar, Texas turned down the resignation of Chairman Gary O’Connor after O’Connor called Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott an “oreo,” The Texas Tribune reported.

O’Connor used the slur in a since-deleted post on his personal Facebook page April 28 after Scott delivered a rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s address to a joint session of Congress. “I had hoped that Scott might show some common sense, but it seems clear he is little more than an oreo with no real principles,” the post read. After nearly a week, O’Connor submitted his resignation Tuesday, but the Lamar County Democratic Party refused to accept his resignation the same day, according to The Texas Tribune.

“Lamar County Democrats recommit ourselves to conduct our private conversations and our public social media discussions with anti-racist, pro-reconciling attitudes and language,” the Lamar County Democratic Party’s statement sent to The Texas Tribune read.

“We strongly condemn bigotry of any kind and will continue our historic efforts to work for justice and equality for all our fellow citizens,” the statement added.

The term “oreo,” according to Merriam-Webster, is a derogatory term for a “black person who adopts the characteristic mentality and behavior of white middle-class society.”

 

The comments were met with swift condemnation from Republicans, such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who called O’Connor’s comments, “disgusting, hateful, and completely unacceptable.” Allen West, the chairman of the Texas Republican Party, posted a video on Twitter saying he had a “gift” for O’Connor, which was a box of Oreo cookies.

 

O’Connor apologized for using the term against Scott in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “I am deeply and sincerely sorry for my inappropriate and hurtful use of racist term I used to describe Sen. Tim Scott on my personal Facebook page,” O’Connor said, according to the Washington Examiner. “It was insensitive, and I have embarrassed myself and my party by its use,” he added. (RELATED: Sen. Tim Scott Receives Racist Attacks During Republicans’ Response To Biden Address. Twitter Makes It Trend)

O’Connor was not the only one using derogatory terms to refer to Scott. “Uncle Tim” trended on Twitter after Scott issued his rebuttal.