Texas County GOP Chairwoman Urged To Resign After Suggesting George Floyd Death Was Staged

SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — The GOP chairwoman of one of Texas' largest counties is being urged by her party to resign after a social media post that suggested George Floyd's death was staged.

Cynthia Brehm is head of the Bexar County Republican Party in San Antonio. She also drew attention and condemnation last month for suggesting the coronavirus pandemic was a hoax intended to hurt President Donald Trump.

Gov. Greg Abbott called on her to step down after a San Antonio Express-News columnist Wednesday tweeted an image of Brehm suggesting in a Facebook post that Floyd's death was staged. The post has since been deleted.

"The comments are disgusting and have no place in the Republican Party or in public discourse," Abbott spokesman said John Wittman said.

Both Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas also called on her to resign, as did Texas Republican Party Chairman James Dickey.

"Senator Cornyn shares Governor Abbott's belief that Cynthia Brehm should resign," Cornyn's campaign tweeted.

"Cynthia Brehm's comments were wrong, and only serve to divide us at a time when we all need to come together. Given those harmful comments, she should resign from leadership," Cruz tweeted.

Brehm has not publicly addressed calls for her resignation and did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

Floyd died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin down Floyd's neck for several minutes as Floyd pleaded for air and eventually stopped moving. The officer has been charged with murder and three others who took part in Floyd's arrest face lesser counts.

Floyd's funeral will be held next week in Houston, where he grew up. A memorial was held in Minneapolis on Thursday.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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