FRANKLIN, Ind. – A Franklin city councilman resigned Thursday, just days after posting a controversial meme on Facebook.
Republican Joseph R. Ault announced his resignation in a letter to Johnson County Central Committee Chairman Beth Boyce. In the letter, Ault said he doesn’t want to put the city through any more bad publicity and he apologizes for his lack of good judgment.
In light of what has transpired over the past few days I have changed my mind and will be resigning my seat on the Franklin City Council of this date. After a few days to think about this I can see no reason to put the City or the Council through anymore bad publicity. I know the city is in very capable hands with the current leadership in place. Once again I want to apologize to the citizens of Franklin and to the Council for my lack of good judgment in this matter.
The meme in question was in reference to a vulgar comment that President Donald Trump reportedly made during a meeting last week discussing immigration reform. He later denied using the vulgarity, adding that he is “not a racist.”
According to the Indy Star, the meme shared by Ault read: “We bring people from s***hole countries because s***hole Democrats need s***hole votes so they can turn America into a s***hole. Do you agree?”
Ault has also worked as a reserve deputy for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office for over two decades, Sheriff Doug Cox told the Indy Star. Cox went on to say his office is in the process of conducting an internal investigation and Ault is not authorized to work for the department during that time.
