In Buffalo, the former New York state co-chair of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign refused calls on Tuesday that he step down from the Buffalo school board, after he was quoted wishing President Obama dead and comparing first lady Michelle Obama to a gorilla. Carl Paladino submitted the comments by email to Artvoice, an alternative weekly newspaper in Buffalo. Paladino is quoted saying he hopes Barack Obama would have sex with a cow and die from mad cow disease. Of first lady Michelle Obama, Paladino wrote, “I’d like her to return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla.” In a statement published Tuesday, Paladino insisted he was not a racist, and said he meant to forward the comments to friends, rather than submit them to Artvoice. Paladino is a longtime ally of Donald Trump. Earlier this month, he met with the president-elect for one hour at Trump Tower in New York City.