A former Ku Klux Klan member who sought a seat on the Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners in Georgia had his campaign come to a standstill after he was declared ineligible for office due to a previous felony conviction.
Chester Doles, who once was designated as the Grand Klaliff of the Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Maryland, was in the midst of campaigning for the office when an investigation by CBS Atlanta turned up his criminal record which disqualifies him from holding office.
According to a report from Complex, "In 1993, Doles spent time in federal prison after he was convicted of beating a Black man in Maryland; in 2003, he was convicted of weapons violations in Georgia and spent four more years behind bars."
The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles has ruled that citizens can't serve until "at least 10 years have passed since they completed their prison term."
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"Although Doles is past the 10-year requirement, the Georgia Republican Party told CBS46 that the former KKK leader’s rights 'were not restored in time for the qualifying deadline,' which was March 8," the report states while adding that the former Klan member intends to sue after complaining that he has already invested time and money into his campaign.
In a statement, he claimed, "They have violated my civil rights. We’re gonna ask for damages. My attorney is reviewing the case right now. They’ve caused me major damages. I have thousands of dollars in campaign signs, billboards, radio commercials."
Doles received some national exposure when he was confronted by NBC's Morgan Radford over his continuing ties to white supremacists despite his disavowals.
You can see video of the exchange below:
Former Klan Member Tries To Back-Pedal After Posting White Supremacist Message | NBC Newswww.youtube.com
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