Pender County commissioner says online comments raise safety concerns
PENDER COUNTY (WWAY) — Pender County Commissioner Jimmy Tate says he is facing online racism and fears for his safety over comments made on a local Facebook page.
“I’m deeply, deeply concerned about these comments,” said Tate.
The comments Tate is referring to appear on a Facebook page called the Outdoorsmen of Pender County. The page has posted reports about an investigation into Tate’s finances involving his nonprofit, the Calvary Center for Leadership Development, and Tate Farm.
“These people have done everything they possibly can to try to destroy me, my family, my nonprofit organization, and everything,” said Tate.
One post by the Outdoorsmen states, “When an official steps down, our investigation stops.”
“No one should be able to be intimidated out of office just because they’ve been elected by the people,” said Tate.
The page also includes other posts, including one where a user commented, “Hang him.”
“I don’t deserve to be hanged because I’m black, because I’m different, because I’m gay, any other reason,” said Tate.
Tate said he is concerned the page has not removed the comment, which he considers racist.
“I don’t think they understand how cruel that comment was to say, ‘Hang him.’ I am an elected official like everyone else in this state, and I don’t deserve to be hanged because I am an elected official,” said Tate.
Henry Temple operates the Outdoorsmen of Pender County page.
In a personal post last year, Temple shared a story from the WWAY website about the drug arrest of Theodore Wilson and wrote, “Looks a lot like Jimmy Tate. Maybe it’s his long-lost cousin.”
Temple defended the latest posts, saying, “This is just another attempt by Commissioner Tate to deflect attention away from the multiple state investigations related to his nonprofits.”
Tate said the investigations and social media posts will not drive him from office.
“I have a right to do my job and do it to the very best of my ability, regardless of how much hate someone has for me I serve citizens everyday east to west of the county and I don’t deserve to be hanged. We should be talking about unity, working together, and not hanging an individual just because of their desire to serve in public service,” said Tate.
Tate said he has filed a complaint about the “hang him” comment with the Pender County Sheriff’s Office.
