Racist political flier angers, disgusts Fairfield Co. residents

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, SC (WIS) - Qua'Kentric Pendergrass found a flier in his mailbox that made him sick to his stomach.

"It was very racist," Pendergrass said. "When you go to your mailbox, you receive bills. You don't really receive something that says n******."

The flier, which was sent to an unknown number of people across Fairfield County, has a picture of a Ku Klux Klan rally along with a hateful message.

"It reads further, 'Let's all save Fairfield together by firing the n****** and the n***** lover incumbents,'" Fairfield County Council candidate Tangee Brice Jacobs said.

A note on the flier says they were originally sent out to "white residents" in the fall. However, a new batch was sent out in postmarked envelopes with no return address over the past few days.

"It made me real angry, and, I mean, I'm a preacher," James Wylie said, "and I don't get angry for nothing."

Next Tuesday, voters will head to the polls to decide if incumbent Councilman Mikel Trapp will serve another term in office. Trapp's picture is crossed out on the title under the title "Little Pig Trapp."

"Anyone who would do this is low-down, dirty, and rotten," Jacobs said.

Jacobs is running against Trapp for the District 3 seat. She says she equally disgusted and doesn't have a clue who is sending out the fliers.

Plus, one of Trapp's signs on Highway 321 was recently vandalized with the N-word. However, Sheriff Will Montgomery says Councilman Trapp didn't wish to file a report.

"Basically, there's too much divisiveness in Fairfield County," Lt. Colonel Walter Larry Stewart said.

Stewart is also running against Trapp and says the divisiveness is scaring off new jobs. He says council plays a role in dividing Fairfield County.

"You know, we are all different, Stewart said. "We're young and we're old. We're black and we're white. We're rich and we're poor. We are a participative democracy, where all the ideas deserve to be heard."

The fliers have been reported to the United States Postal Service and a spokesman says USPS is looking into them.

The offensive language is protected under the First Amendment, but the spokesman says it would be illegal if they're being placed in mailboxes without postage.

The citizen-group Saving Fairfield and The Independent Voice of Blythewood & Fairfield County were both named on the flier. Both say they had nothing to do with it and they are disgusted that something like this is happening in the 21st century.

The newspaper also says the flier is untrue in stating that the newspaper endorsed any particular candidates, since the paper does not endorse candidates.

We have attempted to reach Councilman Trapp with multiple phone calls, but he did not return any calls.

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