REVEALED: Maine Republican busted for anti-Muslim Facebook rant has extensive history of racist posts

With an election on Tuesday, a Maine Republican who was caught posting an anti-Muslim diatribe on Facebook is trying to do damage control by apologizing and saying he never read the entire rant before re-posting it on his own page.

Unfortunately for State Rep. John Picchioti, the same activist who discovered the anti-Muslim post uncovered multiple instances of the lawmaker posting attacks on Muslims, blacks and Hispanics, reports the Bangor Daily News.

Before locking his Facebook page down, Picchioti apologized for the rant taken from a white supremacist chain email attacking Muslims.

“I apologize for the offensive post that appeared on my Facebook page. I received the message in an email and only read the first few paragraphs which praised nurses and spoke glowingly of the Catholic faith. I did not however, read the end of the message prior to posting it to my Facebook page. As soon as I was made aware of the anti-Muslim sentiments in the second half of the post I immediately deleted it," he wrote. "It was an oversight on my part and I apologize for the offensive nature of the message and I in no way share those beliefs about the Muslim faith. I will be making no further comments on this issue.”

Prior to Picchioti shutting off his Facebook page from prying eyes, progressive activist Steven Biel did a quick search of the Republican's timeline which demonstrated that Picchioti has a fondness for posting racist memes.  Among the few gathered by Biel -- before they became unavailable -- were ones insulting Ferguson protesters, attacking Muslims, and mocking slain teen Trayvon Martin.

In one, pro-gun conservative gadfly Ted Nugent gleefully claimed he entered a Muslim bookstore and had a confrontation with the owner because the store didn't carry an anti-immigration book by GOP presidential contender Donald Trump.

Maine GOP leaders are refusing to comment on Picchiotti, directing reporters to the lawmaker's claim of ignorance.

Screen captures of a few of Picchiotti's Facebook posts caught by Steven Biel can be seen below: