CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey says a staff member who was part of a controversial video several years before he hired her no longer works for his office.
Morrisey announced the firing of Assistant Director of Communications Carrie Bowe Thursday afternoon shortly after the Charleston Gazette-Mail posted a story about the “The Stop White Genocide Video” that contains statements and slogans used by white supremacists, the paper said.
Morrisey posted a message on Twitter shortly after the story was posted:
“I completely reject the conduct and statements made by a former employee of the Office, which I learned about today.”
Morrisey’s Communications Director Curtis Johnson also released a statement:
“The employee’s conduct and statements, which occurred years before being employed by the Attorney General’s Office, were not previously disclosed until today, which is contrary to the transparency requirements for being a member of this office, do not reflect the opinion or the perspective of the Attorney General or this office.”
The Gazette-Mail’s report quotes a recent Facebook post by Bowe that said she was never able to view the finished edit adding she was “working with all my power” to remove the content.
Bowe was hired in 2015 about three years after the video first appeared.
Del. Doug Reynolds (D-Cabell) is trying to upend Morrisey in the race for attorney general in the Nov. 8 General Election. A spokesperson for his campaign, Lynette Maselli, also released a statement Thursday criticizing Morrisey.
“The comments by Ms. Bowe are not only disheartening but disgraceful. There is no place in our State for such hate; however, after repeatedly witnessing such contemptible behavior from our attorney general I’m unfortunately not surprised such a person would serve as an extension of his office,” Maselli said.