UPDATE | Mahoning Trump chair quits after making race remarks

YOUNGSTOWN — Kathy Miller, chairwoman of Mahoning County for Trump, has resigned from the volunteer job after making what she now says were “inappropriate” remarks about African Americans.

In a prepared statement, Miller said, “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.”

But before that resignation, Miller told The Vindicator, The Guardian reporter who interviewed her was only interested in asking her if Donald Trump is a racist.

Miller stood behind her comments that racism didn’t exist before Obama, but said that she should have used the word “discrimination” rather than “racism.” She also said she’s been the victim of discrimination.

Obama “put a focus on it. I believe to a large extent we didn’t have problems before,” she said.

Warren Mayor Doug Franklin joined a chorus who denounced Miller's comments, saying he was "appalled" and described the comments as discriminatory and divisive.

Franklin, speaking at the Hillary Clinton Warren headquarters, also said he would like to see presidential candidate Donald Trump apologize for Miller's comments.

Trump's campaign was quick to denounce 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," said Bob Paduchik, Trump's Ohio state director, in a prepared statement. "I have accepted Kathy Miller's resignation as the Mahoning County chair in light of these inappropriate comments. We have asked Tracey Winbush, who has been actively involved in our Mahoning County and statewide campaign, to take her place and serve as our new volunteer Mahoning County Trump Chair and to replace her as an elector to the Electoral College."

Based on statements Miller made to The Guardian about African Americans, county Republican Party Chairman Mark Munroe called for her removal from the volunteer position earlier in the day.

Munroe said today that he spoke to Ohio officials with the campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump urging them to dismiss her from the post.

“I find her remarks shocking and offensive and they certainly in no way reflect the views of the Mahoning County Republican Party,” Munroe said.

He added Miller’s comments are “wrong. They’re offensive, they don’t reflect reality.”

When asked if they were racist, Munroe paused and said, “That’s a loaded word. The words I just said sum it up.”

Munroe said, “There’s a lot of frustration on [the Trump campaign’s] part,” and “They’re very concerned and very distressed by Miller’s remarks.”

A Trump spokesman couldn’t be reached by The Vindicator to comment.

The Guardian article, published today on its website, has gone viral.

In the article, Miller, who is also the 13th Congressional District’s representative to the Electoral College for Trump, said: “I don’t think there was any racism until [President Barack] Obama got elected. We never had problems like this ... Now, with the people with the guns, and shooting up neighborhoods, and not being responsible citizens, that’s a big change, and I think that’s the philosophy that Obama has perpetuated on America.”

She also said, “If you’re black and you haven’t been successful in the last 50 years, it’s your own fault. You’ve had every opportunity, it was given to you.”