Ron DeSantis Appointee Of A Majority Black County Resigns Over KKK Photos

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced criticism after a Republican county commissioner, Jeffrey Moore, who he appointed, resigned in disgrace last week after pictures surfaced that allegedly depicted him in a KKK costume. Many expressed outrage over the photos and demanded the immediate resignation of Moore. While DeSantis cannot control the actions of others, some question if he was aware of Moore’s past actions and are demanding answers from them both.

It’s not surprising that wearing Black face is highly offensive to many. In fact, doing so has led to several prominent figures' characters being questioned. Some would argue that dressing as a member of the KKK would follow in the same vein of offensive and potentially racist behavior. This explains why Commission Moore resigned less than a week after allegedly photographs of him wearing a KKK costume went viral. The Tallahassee Democrat reported last week that Republican Gadsden County Commissioner Jeffrey Moore resigned on September 23 after photos of him at a Halloween party allegedly dressed in a Ku Klux Klan costume flooded the internet. DeSantis appointed Jefferey Moore in August to serve the remainder of the term in the District 2 seat after the previous officeholder retired.

As of now, it isn’t clear when or where the photo was taken or how it went viral. But one thing is for sure – many found the picture highly offensive and are questioning Governor DeSantis’ and Moore’s moral judgment in character, among other things. Morris Young, the Gadsen County Sherrif, told Politico that he first became aware of the pictures on September 20 and asked Moore about the photo last week. “He never denied at all. Refuted nothing when I showed him the pictures. I thought he needed to resign, and I told him that,” Young told Politico.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Tracey Stallworth, a local Gadsen pastor who told the Democrat, “it’s a very sad day in our history and a sad time” for “the Blackest county in the state. That is not OK.” In an unfortunate twist of fate, Gadsen happens to be a predominantly Black county, which also fueled some of the criticism directed toward the pictures of Moore. According to the U.S. Census, 55% of Gadsen’s residents are Black. Ultimately, Moore submitted his resignation letter to DeSantis last week, citing “personal reasons.” Moore has also withdrawn from the November election for a full term on the board.

But this is not the first time DeSantis appointed someone who later found themselves in hot water over similar circumstances. Days after DeSantis took office in 2019, Michael Ertel, whom he appointed as secretary of state, resigned after pictures from 2005 surfaced showing him dressed in Blackface as a Hurricane Katrina victim. But it looks like this incident will not be swept under the rug as easily. Local pastor Tracey Stallworth held a news conference on September 28 where local clergy members asked Moore and Governor DeSantis to explain the questionable picture. Although many have expressed their determination to hold DeSantis and Moore accountable, neither has commented on the incident.