SAN ANTONIO (AP) - The GOP chairwoman of one of Texas’ largest counties faced widespread pressure from her party to resign Thursday for floating a conspiracy theory on social media suggesting that George Floyd’s death was staged.
Cynthia Brehm is head of the Bexar County Republican Party in San Antonio. She also drew attention and condemnation last month for suggesting the coronavirus pandemic was a hoax intended to hurt President Donald Trump.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called on her to step down after a San Antonio Express-News columnist Wednesday tweeted an image of Brehm suggesting in a Facebook post that Floyd’s death was staged. The post has since been deleted.
“The comments are disgusting and have no place in the Republican Party or in public discourse,” Abbott spokesman said John Wittman said.
Both Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas also called on her to resign, as did Texas Republican Party Chairman James Dickey.
Brehm has not publicly addressed calls for her resignation and did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Floyd, who was black and handcuffed, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin down Floyd’s neck for several minutes as Floyd pleaded for air and eventually stopped moving. The officer has been charged with murder and three others who took part in Floyd’s arrest face lesser counts.
Floyd’s funeral will be held next week in Houston, where he grew up.
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