Trump endorses GOP candidate who once called for a Black attorney general's 'hanging'
March 12, 2024
Former President Donald Trump endorsed an explosive figure in Nevada politics for re-appointment to her position representing the state GOP in the Republican National Committee on Tuesday.
"Sigal Chattah is running for Re-Election as the Republican National Committeewoman in Nevada," Trump posted to his Truth Social platform.
"Sigal is a Strong Fighter for Election Integrity, and an America First Ally in the Great State of Nevada. Sigal Chattah has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"
Chattah, an Israeli-born attorney who previously served on the Las Vegas Planning Commission, ran for state attorney general in 2022, challenging Democratic incumbent Aaron Ford.
However, her campaign was derailed by scandal after leaked messages of her appearing to endorse the hanging of Ford, who is Black.
“This guy should be hanging from a [expletive] crane,” she wrote to a friend, who later leaked the message to sabotage her campaign. “He’s like the leader of [H]amas – making tons of money while the People in Gaza are starving.”
Chattah has contended she was speaking "tongue in cheek."
Ford called her comments racist and refused to debate her, reports show.
"I am not standing in the room with her," Ford told the Reno Gazette. "I am not going to spend much more time on this, except to say where I'm from, threatening to lynch someone, especially a black person, is racist."
The Nevada Republican Party, which apart from a narrow gubernatorial win in 2022 has faced a long string of losses over the last several years, has been known for party drama.
Shortly after the midterms, Michele Fiore, an infamous far-right city councilwoman who ran unsuccessfully for state treasurer, slammed former party chair Amy Tarkanian as an "alcoholic bimbo."