Ohio Rep. Eric Synenberg, D-Beachwood, called President Donald Trump’s now-deleted social media post that included a video clip depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama with the bodies of apes as “racist,” “hateful” and “horrible,” as he and state Rep. Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland, urge lawmakers to join them in signing a resolution formally condemning the action.
“I haven’t seen the video and I don’t want to see it,” Synenberg told the Cleveland Jewish News on Feb. 9. “I’ve seen the screenshot and that’s enough for me. There’s all kinds of excuses being presented. It’s clear as night and day – it’s racist.”
Nearly all of the 62-second clip, which was among dozens of Truth Social posts posted by Trump late on Feb. 6, appears to be from a conservative video alleging deliberate tampering with voting machines in battleground states as the 2020 presidential votes were tallied. At the 60-second mark is a quick scene, set to the song, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” of two animated primates, with the Obamas’ smiling faces imposed on them, according to The Associated Press.
Frames were taken from a separate video, previously circulated by an influential conservative meme maker. It shows Trump as “King of the Jungle” and depicts a range of Democratic leaders as animals, including Joe Biden, who is white, as a jungle primate eating a banana, according to AP reporting.
Lawmakers and politicians from both sides of the aisle condemned the video including the U.S. Senate’s lone Black Republican, Tim Scott of South Carolina, who called on Trump to take down the post.
“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” Scott, who chairs Senate Republicans’ midterm campaign arm, said on social media, according to the AP.
The White House said a staffer had posted the video erroneously.
“Several Republicans have repudiated the video and I give them credit,” Synenberg said. “In Ohio, they include Rep. Max Miller, Rep. Mike Turner, Rep. Bob Latta and Sen. Jon Husted. However, I should not have to give them credit for doing the right thing and where are the other leaders of our state?”
When reached via email by the CJN, Dan Tierney, deputy director of media relations for the Office of Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said that “no comment has been issued, but I will reach out if that changes.”
When reached via email by the CJN, Husted’s office sent the following statement on his behalf: “The video was absolutely unacceptable, and I’m glad the White House recognized that and removed it.”
U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Beachwood, spoke out against the video on social media, saying, “I am DISGUSTED by Trump’s attack on the Obamas and Black Americans, but am I surprised? Of course not. But I refuse to let him ruin Black History Month. Let’s set the record straight.”
Rep. Mike Turner of Dayton also denounced the video on social media, stating, “I do not feel the need to respond to every inflammatory statement made by the White House. However, the release of racist images of former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama is offensive, heart breaking, and unacceptable. President Trump should apologize.”
On Feb. 6, Synenberg and Upchurch, a Black state representative, announced in a joint press release that they were calling on “their colleagues in the Ohio General Assembly to join them in condemning” the video. The deadline to cosponsor the resolution was Feb. 9 and it will be officially filed in the House Clerk’s office next week.
“This video is demeaning, offensive and completely unacceptable,” Upchurch said in the release. “Actions like this are vile, erode trust in our leaders, and contradict the respect that our communities and our country deserve. As elected officials, we must stand together to reject this behavior and uphold the principles of fairness, integrity, and justice for everyone.”
Synenberg said he wanted to go a step above making a social media post or issuing a statement condemning the act, and he teamed up with Upchurch, who shared the sentiment, to do so.
“I’m upset,” Synenberg said. “This is horrible and racist. We should expect more from the president. I wanted to present a resolution that will be in the public domain that clearly condemns this. When you have a president on his own social media portraying a former president in a racist manner, it does rise to this level.”
Synenberg said many will say that there are more important things to worry about and that he agrees, but this “historic” incident is a form of “hate speech” that “cannot be normalized in any realm in our society, let alone public politics.”
“I want to actually work on substantive legislation that actually affects Ohioans,” he said. “That’s much more important than this. We cannot ignore this. I do think that this rises to this level of condemnation.”
Trump has refused to apologize for the video, telling reporters he “didn’t make a mistake” and that he “didn’t see the whole thing. The president said that he “gave it to the people, generally they’d look at the whole thing, but I guess somebody didn’t.”
“If this somehow happened to me, I would be mortified,” Synenberg said. “I would have hoped the president would have made a public apology and not issue excuses. That’s the kind of leader we want in the White House, not one who doubles down and refuses to apologize.”
Synenberg said it does “irreparable damage to our reputation as a country.”
“It’s so vitally important that people actually believe in our system of government and that our officials are good and honest,” he said. “You’re going to have political differences, but it’s crucial that people believe and have faith in our leaders and their governing. That’s taken such a hit over the last several years and incidents like this do further damage to that trust.”
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