Racist post made from MS Coast councilman’s Facebook ‘screams foul play,’ his attorney says

A Gautier, Mississippi councilman has hired an attorney and denies any wrongdoing after a racist post from his Facebook account circulated online in response to a shooting covered by national news media.

Rusty Anderson said someone other than himself made the post, that included the use of the n-word, in his name from his personal social media page.

Anderson’s attorney, Tyler Cox, said he has requested that Facebook provide the IP address or addresses of anyone who may be responsible for the posts that were included under a video about a shooting that was shared by ABC news.

Cox said the posts were immediately reported to Facebook, and that he is working with the company to try to identify exactly who is responsible for the hateful comments through the individual IP addresses that may be provided.

The post, which is filled with racist language targeting the Black community, ends with a sentence telling readers to blame what is happening on former President Barack Obama, the first Black American elected president of the United States.

After the post came to light last week, Gautier Mayor Casey Vaughan and the remaining council members issued a statement calling for Anderson’s resignation if he cannot prove his Facebook account was hacked and that someone other than himself made the offensive remarks.

In his statement, Mayor Vaughan noted that while the racist post in Anderson’s name has not yet been authenticated, “the language of the post is inappropriate and is in no way condoned by or affiliated with the Gautier City Council.”

“The post absolutely does not represent the views of the Gautier council as a whole, the city employees or our community,” Vaughan said.

Ward 2 Councilman, Richard Jackson, who is the first Black resident of Gautier elected to serve as a councilman in the city, referred to comments on Anderson’s page as “offensive, hurtful and appalling.

The post, Jackson said, “is not who we are as a Council, or who we are as a city.”

Councilman claims racist Facebook post was really a hacker. Gautier says prove it or resign.

Cox defended his client on several fronts, also noting that Anderson had been in politics for 10 years and knew any post with such derogatory racial comments would be unacceptable.

“Rusty Anderson doesn’t use that kind of language in his private life let alone in public,” Cox said. “Anyone that does know him knows that.”

Attorney questions authenticity of Facebook post

In addition, Cox said what is being shared as being a post by Anderson is actually a screenshot of something someone apparently posted.

“The screenshot that is being circulated is suspicious considering the ease in which anybody can manipulate images online to make them say or look like whatever they want,” Cox said.

The attorney said the screenshot of the post in question was taken when the questionable post in Anderson’s name indicated it had “just now” been posted, suggesting to the attorney that “someone knew is was coming and were waiting for it to be posted to take a screenshot of it.”

“That,” Cox said, “screams foul play to me.”

Cox said Anderson want to be clear that he did not post racial slurs on Facebook or any other social media account.

“Anderson and his team want to be to be absolutely clear,” Cox said. “He did not post racial slurs on Facebook. He is deeply disturbed by these allegations and denies them completely.”

‘We are confident the truth will come out.’

Cox said he is confident that Facebook will be able to uncover the truth.

“We want to assure the public that Councilman Anderson remains committed to his duties and responsibilities, and he will continue to serve all citizens of Gautier with integrity and honor just as he as done for the past decade,” Cox said. “Any calls for resignation are unfounded and are, on their face, politically motivated.”

“Councilman Anderson will not be a victim of Cancel-Culture run amok, especially for false accusations,” Cox added.

The attorney is asking for the public to refrain from rushing to judgment and to give Anderson the benefit of the doubt pending the outcome of their investigation.

“We are confident that the truth will come out,” Cox added, “and Councilman Anderson will be exonerated from these false allegations.”