A Pennsylvania official has resigned from her roles on the Towamencin Township Board of Supervisors and other organizations after facing backlash for a viral video in which she appeared to mimick a gesture recently made by Elon Musk.
The controversy began after Elon Musk, during an event for President Trump's inauguration, made a gesture that some likened to a Nazi salute, though the Anti-Defamation League later called it an "awkward moment" rather than intentional.
Despite the clarification, Musk faced criticism after doubling down with Nazi-related puns and appearing at a far-right event in Germany.
Afterwards, Laura Smith posted a TikTok video mimicking Musk's gesture, which quickly went viral and drew widespread criticism, NBC Philadelphia reported.
This woman doing a Nazi salute is Laura Smith and she sits on the Towamencin Township Board of Supervisors in Pennsylvania pic.twitter.com/ZJlEfaxrsT
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) January 25, 2025
In the video, Smith tapped her chest and extended her arm while saying, "My heart goes out to you," appearing to mock Musk's original gesture. After the video was reposted widely on social media, Smith deleted it and released a statement claiming her actions had been mischaracterized.
Nevertheless, the Towamencin Township Board of Supervisors announced plans to accept her resignation, stating such behavior was unacceptable. Smith also resigned from her positions on the boards of Knights for Life and the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library.
The Township Board plans to formally address her resignation in a public meeting.
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