Comments made about African Americans by the chairperson of the Mahoning County Donald Trump campaign has led to her resignation.

According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Kathy Miller told one of their reporters that racism didn't exist before President Obama.

The article says that Miller professed that there was “no racism” during the 1960s and said black people who have not succeeded over the past half-century only have themselves to blame.

Miller also went on to say that the Black Lives Matter movement is “a stupid waste of time,” according to The Guardian.

Her comments were part of an interview that was included in a story that featured how the Valley, which has traditionally been dominated by the Democrats, is leaning to the Republican Party this election.

According to The Guardian, Miller dismissed the suggestion that Trump was exploiting racist or prejudiced views among some voters claiming  “the media making stuff up”. Miller told the paper that Trump is "very willing to talk about issues that have never been discussed publicly.”

Shortly before noon on Tuesday, Ohio Director of the Trump Campaign Bob Paduchik issued the following statement announcing the resignation of Miller:  "Our county chairs are volunteers who signed up to help organize grassroots outreach like door-knocking and phone calls; they are not spokespeople for the campaign.  I have accepted Kathy Miller's resignation as the Mahoning County chair in light of these inappropriate comments."

Paduchik says he has asked, Tracy Winbush, who is African American and has been involved in the Trump campaign, to take Miller's place as County Chair and replace Miller as an elector to the Electoral College."

The Trump campaign also issued a statement it attributes to Miller:

"My personal comments were inappropriate, and I apologize.  I am not a spokesperson for the campaign and was not speaking on its behalf.  I have resigned as the volunteer campaign chair in Mahoning County and as an elector to the Electoral College to avoid any unnecessary distractions."

Miller told 21 News that she didn't realize her comments would cause a stir.  She says the interview with the Guardian reporter took place at a picnic, and claims the reporter asked her "fifteen different ways" if Trump was a racist.  Miller says she answered the questions based on her life experiences.

Mahoning County GOP Chair Mark Munroe issued a statement calling Miller’s comments "both shocking, offensive, and in no way reflect the views of the Mahoning County Republican Party."

Monroe says after reading Miller's comments he immediately reached out to the Trump campaign and asked that she be dismissed.
 
"Miller’s comments indicate that she does not have the understanding of the many unique challenges faced by our friends in the black community," says Munroe, who adds that Trump has displayed "sensitivity and understanding of the plight of minorities."

Democrats are seizing the opportunity to link Miller's statements to Trump himself.

Valley Democrat, Congressman Tim Ryan, characterized Miller's comments as a new low in the Trump Campaign. "Donald Trump's ongoing campaign rhetoric shows his true colors again and again: this is who he is, this is the type of President he would be, and we can’t afford it,” said Ryan. The congressman called on Trump himself to disavow Miller's comments.

Saying he's happy that Miller resigned, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper called on Trump to apologize for, "spending years questioning where President Obama was born, in a sad and divisive attempt to delegitimize our nation's first African-American president."

Hillary for America Director of African American Media Denise Horn released a statement claiming that Trump has fueled divisive comments since the start of his campaign.  "Elevating dangerous elements in our society is at the heart of his campaign, which is why we must stand up to this deplorable rhetoric and prevent Trump from ever getting close to the White House," said Horn.

You can read the article from The Guardian here