Kentucky county clerk responds to backlash over controversial noose photo

Tony Brown, the county clerk of Laurel County, Kentucky, issued an apology after facing backlash for a controversial Halloween-themed social media post.

The now-deleted post, made on October 31, showed Brown with a noose around his neck while wearing a shirt that read, “Hi! I’m CHAD!” The caption referenced “hanging chads” from the 2000 U.S. presidential election, a term tied to problematic ballots. However, the image quickly drew criticism due to the noose’s historical association with racial violence and lynching, which many found inappropriate.

In response to the public outcry, Brown posted an apology on his official Facebook page, acknowledging the offensive nature of his costume choice. “I want to apologize for my Halloween costume today,” he wrote. “I was trying to be funny and make a joke about the Bush/Gore election, and I did not think about how that could be offensive and insensitive. It was poor judgment on my part, and I am truly sorry that I hurt people I care about.”
 

The phrase “hanging chad” originated during the 2000 election, when incomplete perforations on ballot cards, or “chads,” could invalidate a vote. This issue was especially prominent in Florida, where “hanging chads” complicated the vote count. Although Brown’s post aimed to reference this infamous election mishap, the visual use of a noose added a disturbing element, underscoring the importance of cultural sensitivity in public representations.