Alaska lawmaker Jamie Allard was removed from her position on the state Human Rights Commission on Tuesday after posting statements on social media advocating the use of Nazi phrases in two custom Alaska license plates.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) called for Allard’s removal after the incident.
“Ms. Allard’s comments on the enrollment controversy have become a distraction to the Human Rights Commission and its mission to ensure equality and fair treatment for all Alaska,” the spokesman for Dunleavy, Jeff Turner, in a statement to Alaska Public Media. “Governor Dunleavy considered it in the best interest of the board to remove it effective immediately.”
The license plates in question featured the phrases “FUHRER” and “3REICH,” which are words closely related to Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler. Photos of the plaques were circulated on social media and caused them to be revoked, Alaska Public media reported.
Allard, who is also a member of District 2 of the Anchorage Assembly, responded to photos from his deleted Facebook page since then, stating that the words “fuhrer” and “reich” are just German words with no negative connotations. nor offensive, according to Alaska. It has been reported from public media.
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve Alaska in both the Anchorage Assembly and the Human Rights Commission. We unequivocally condemn racism in all its forms and I fully support the commission’s mission. In light of recent attacks against me, I think it’s better to set it aside so that the committee can focus on its work and allow me to spend more time focusing on my Assembly functions, ”Allard said of his recent dismissal in a statement to Alaska’s public media.
The Alaska Department of Administration said Monday in a post on Facebook that the license plates have been removed by the state Department of Motor Vehicles and that local authorities have been notified of the situation.
“We were informed that several Alaska were concerned about the messages being transmitted to Alaska custom vehicle license plates. The plates in question had been previously removed by the DMV and the DMV issued standard replacement plates to display them,” he said. write the administration. “We notify law enforcement that these plates are not authorized by the DMV.”
Updated at 10:22 a.m.