A far-right congressional candidate backed by President Donald Trump exchanged racist jokes with a vigilante border militiaman, according to The Arizona Republic.
Mark Lamb, the former sheriff of Pinal County, made the exchanges on a 2016 campaign social media account with Nick Steele of Border Narcotics Intelligence, a private extremist group that claims to patrol the border on behalf of the public.
"Steele told Lamb that he and other group members were supporting him in his first bid for sheriff," said the report. "'BNI guys work like (N-words),' Steele wrote. 'Hahahaha! So you don't do anything?' Lamb replied, punctuating the Facebook direct message with a pair of laughing emojis. Steele appeared surprised by the sheriff's reply and sought to clarify. 'LOL No we work like (N-words) cuz it's the right thing to do...' he said. 'You guys do work hard,' Lamb messaged back. 'I'm impressed! And grateful!'"
"Lamb did not respond to interview requests. His campaign on May 26 did not elaborate on what BNI did on the sheriff's behalf or his relationship with the group," according to the report. A Black former campaign staffer for Lamb, William Hubbard, "said Lamb apologized for making the racist remarks shortly after sending them."
This comes after earlier reports that Lamb, who is running for the seat being vacated by far-right Freedom Caucus powerbroker Andy Biggs, sent nude photos, and then used the threat of felony charges to prevent the people he sent them to from going public about it.
It also comes after Lamb came under fire for saying the standards of care for immigrants in detention were "irritatingly high."