The Tweet That Landed Jim Coughlan In Hot Water

Dutchess County Comptroller, and NYS Senate candidate, Jim Coughlan is feeling the backlash after a tweet directed at MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry.

You can view the tweet HERE

Keep your stinking paws off my kid, you damned dirty ape.

The tweet was in response to Harris-Perry's ad about child rearing, saying that communities must take collective responsibility for children.

View Harris-Perry's ad HERE

Coughlan has said that he did not know Harris-Perry was black, and that he was simply repeating a well known quote from the movie Planet of the Apes.

He continued, calling the criticism...

A new low by the Albany insiders who are scared of my candidacy because they know I'm not going to be a patsy in the Senate. It's despicable. They're trying to get me to drop out.

This has still sparked criticism from Democrats, and even some Republicans, calling his remarks appalling, irresponsible, and racially insensitive. Opponents went on to say that if you're running for public office, you should know what you're tweeting about and who you're tweeting at. Coughlan has since shutdown his Twitter account.

Filed Under: Dutchess county comptroller, Jim Coughlan, MSNBC, New York Politics, NYS Senate, Planet of the Apes, Twitter

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