CLOVIS, N.M. - A former New Mexico mayor, who called President Obama “the carnal manifestation of evil’’ and said Obama’s election was part of a CIA conspiracy, has been elected to his former job, according to unofficial results.
The Clovis News Journal reports that David Lansford, the former Clovis mayor, won his old job back Tuesday by defeating Mayor Gayla Brumfield with nearly 63 percent of the vote.
Lansford, 53, recently gained national attention after the newspaper reported his ties to a fringe religious and political group, ATLAH Media Network in New York. After threatening to withdraw from the race, Lansford later changed his mind and stayed in but said he felt disclosing his activities was unfair and would prompt others to label him “a whack job.’’
Lansford participated in ATLAH’s mock treason trial of Obama and wrote articles for its online publication, calling Obama an illegitimate president under the Constitution and “the carnal manifestation of evil,’’ claiming Obama’s election was part of a CIA conspiracy.
Lansford later told KOB-TV that he did not believe Obama had the legal right to be president because Lansford thinks he is not a natural born citizen.
ATLAH Media Network has come under fire from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which posted details of the group’s trial on the center’s “Hatewatch’’ blog.’’ On various YouTube videos, ATLAH’s leader, James David Manning, also has blasted Obama for wanting to turn America into an “Islamic Caliphate’’ and has compared him to a pimp.
“I think everybody in this country has their opinions,’’ Lansford said Tuesday night after winning his race. “And I think the great thing in America is where you can freely express your opinions.’’
Brumfield said she was surprised that someone with Lansford’s extreme views of the president managed such a large margin of votes. “I guess the city made their choice,’’ she said.