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Carl Paladino Leaked E-Mails Called "Racist and Sexist"

Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino reportedly sent e-mails to numerous associates that included images of bestiality and derogatory characterizations of President Obama, including one offering a video clip of African tribesmen dancing that characterized the video as "Obama Inauguration Rehearsal."

The e-mails were obtained by WNYMedia.net, and have been posted here. The site's managing director, Marc Odien, told the Buffalo News that he had verified that Palidino had sent many of the "racist and sexist" messages with multiple sources.

In a statement to TPM Muckraker, Paladino campaign manager Michael Caputo said the candidate had sent "off-color" and "politically incorrect" e-mails in the past.

"Carl Paladino has forwarded close friends hundreds of email messages he received," he said. "Many of these emails he received were off color, some were politically incorrect, few represented his own opinion, and almost none of them were worth remembering."

A Tea Party darling, Paladino reportedly sent an e-mail depicting a horse having sex with a woman and another that included a pornographic video and the headline "Miss France 2008 F[***]ing." He also reportedly sent out an e-mail depicting President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as a pimp and prostitute and one showing an airplane landing near black men with the caption "Holy Sh*t. run ni**ers, run!"

After one respondent complained that the "Obama Inauguration Rehearsal" e-mail was "flat-out racist," Paladino reportedly replied, "I apologize to you and everyone if that is offensive. to me its just humor. i'm not racist and have never related obamas color to my political distaste for him."

The Buffalo News reports that Paladino did not deny sending the e-mails at an event today. He called them "just another liberal Democrat blog smear."

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