SPOKANE, Wash. — After the Inlander published an article regarding racist statements from Lesley Haskell, wife of Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Larry H. Haskell, he issued a statement saying the allegations on the article don't represent his personal views.
According to the article, Lesley Haskell used racial slurs on the social media platform Gab after expressing her reaction to a New York Post story titled "MSNBC's Joy Reid: Conservatives would trade tax cuts to 'openly say the n-word." Lesley Haskell commented, saying Reid was "the true definition of the word" and then explicitly typed out the slur.
Larry H. Haskell issued a statement on his official website saying his wife's views do not reflect his own.
"I want to strongly reassure everyone that what was expressed in the Inlander, as my wife’s comments, are not my views nor the views of the prosecutor’s office – nor should they ever be. No amount of republishing of her social media posts will make that so. I have never and will never use such language. I apologize for the language and content as contained in the article," Larry Haskell said in the statement.
In other posts, Lesley Haskell boasts about being a proud white nationalist and says the white race is "dying" and that people "need to make more white babies."
"Her statements and what she has said in totality indicates that she does not like people of color or anyone that's different from her," said Spokane Human Rights Commissioner Anwar Peace.
Larry Haskell stated he does not tolerate racial bias or discrimination in any form.
"People that know me fully understand those are not my views. I do not tolerate racial bias or disparate treatment of any kind as proven by my words, deeds, and treatment of others during my tenure as prosecutor..," Haskell said in the statement.
This is not the first time Larry Haskell has had to answer for his wife's online activity. In 2015, Lesley Haskell posted racist comments on Facebook against Muslims. One of the posts said: I do not trust muzlims no matter what." Another said, "Another victim of 'white guilt.'
After those comments, Lesley Haskell came out on social media after an article from another media outlet and said, "I have a lot of passion and a big mouth. I will keep on keeping on but with a new and improved filter."
After that post in 2015, attorney Aine Ahmed who knows the Haskell's personally said he received a call from Haskell who apologized for Lesley's comments and said her views do not reflect his.
Larry Haskell is up for re-election this year.
"He's going to have to address this at every turn and I hope to be at every one of his campaign events raising this issue with him," Peace said. "He's got to address this in a more non-lawyer like manner. How about being a human, Larry? How about addressing the fact that your community is hurting because of your wife's statements?"