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GOP Official Who Sent Racist Obama Email Gets Censured

SANTA ANA  (AP) — An Orange County GOP official who sent an offensive email about President Barack Obama has been censured by the local party's Central Committee.

Scott Baugh, head of Orange County's Republican Party, said Wednesday's vote to censure 74-year-old Marilyn Davenport, an elected member of the governing committee, is the strongest step the county GOP could take under its bylaws.

The 12-2 committee vote comes three weeks after Davenport forwarded an email to friends with a photo depicting Obama's face superimposed over a baby chimp's. An accompanying text read, "Now you know why -- No birth certificate!"

A friend of Davenport's on the committee, Tim Whitacre, contends Baugh used the bylaws incorrectly to censure her. Davenport has refused to step down despite calls from Baugh and others for her to quit.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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