Controversial gun store billboard calling four congresswomen "idiots" to be taken down
An advertising company has announced it will take down a billboard in Murphy, North Carolina, calling Reps. Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley "idiots." The billboard was promoting a local gun shop, and the shop's owner said he wants to go to court to keep it up.
The billboard received national attention after Cherokee Guns posted a picture of it on Facebook. Cherokee Guns stood by its ad and even sold bumper stickers of it for those who wanted to show support.
However, others found the image, which is signed "the Deplorables," offensive. The congresswomen on the billboard were the subject of a barrage of racist tweets by President Trump.
The president tweeted earlier this month that the "'Progressive' Democratic Congresswomen" should "go back" to where they came from, even though three of them were born in the U.S. and the fourth has been a citizen for two decades. Since then, they've been singled out repeatedly by opponents on the right.
Allison Outdoor Advertising wrote on Facebook about its decision to take down the billboard, according to WTVC-TV. However, that post has been removed. CBS News reached out to the company for details.
On Tuesday, the owner of Cherokee Guns spoke to WTVC-TV. He said the billboard had only been up for a few days, but it had already brought him more business. CBS News has reached out to Cherokee Guns for comment.
The next day, Allison Outdoor Advertising announced the advertisement was coming down, according to WTVC-TV.