Man who hanged effigy of Kentucky governor fired from job

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A protester who participated in hanging an effigy of Kentucky's governor at an armed rally on the State Capitol grounds has been fired from his job at an auto dealer.

Neil Huffman Auto Group said it terminated the unidentified employee after an internal review, saying it “does not condone threats of violence in any form."

“There is no place for hate or intolerance at any of our dealerships," Shannon Huffman, the auto dealer's human resources manager, said on social media Tuesday evening.

The protester fired was identified by the Courier Journal as Terry Bush, president of the Kentucky 3 Percenters group. His dismissal was confirmed by his wife, Patsy Bush, the newspaper reported.

“He was fired because this governor is more important than the regular Joe out in this state trying to put food on their tables,” Patsy Bush told the newspaper Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear referred to the protesters as a mob in condemning the weekend rally that spread to the Governor’s Mansion. The Democratic governor vowed not to back down.

“Let’s start by calling it what it was and what it is — actions aimed at creating fear and terror,” Beshear said. “Crossing over barriers, standing on the other side of the glass from where I raise my kids and hanging me in an effigy, that’s an action intended to use fear to get their way.”

The effigy was hung in a tree near the State Capitol during what was billed as a protest rally in defense of constitutional rights, including the right to bear arms. The rally turned into a protest against coronavirus restrictions and Beshear’s administration, according to media reports, with protesters chanting outside the Governor’s Mansion for him to come outside.

___

Follow AP coverage of the...