County Commission Chairman Charlie King, Jr. of Lowndes County in Alabama has been caught handing out flyers with the insigna of the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and two tea party groups. King at first denied handing out the flyers, calling them “despicable.” However, when a convenience store video caught him leaving the flyers there, King said he was simply trying to inform the voters of the flyers.

The flyers urge voters to vote out King while supporting his white and black opponents. It is loaded with racist language and derogatory comments.

A longtime civil rights and community activist, Barbara Evans, who is white but has a black son and grandchildren, was accused of writing the flyer. At a news conference, 65 members of the black community stood by her as she defended herself. She claims King is responsible for the flyer. Both King and Evans are calling for a Justice Department investigation.

Alabama, long tainted by a racist history, now has a new and particularly bizarre chapter to add.