The hacker group Anonymous appeared to begin its planned Ku Klux Klan "unmasking" with a video claiming a number of public officials, including four U.S. senators, have affiliations with the KKK, but no evidence of any ties was offered and the hacktivist group later denied involvement.
A video posted on Facebook Sunday, with more than 600,000 views, charged that Senators Tom Tillis of North Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, and Dan Coats of Indiana all had ties with the white supremacy group.
Current Politicians In The KKK - Addresses & Numbershttp://pastebin.com/Yh2muT9r
Posted by We Are Anonymous on Sunday, November 1, 2015
The video also accused four mayors of having KKK ties, including Knoxville's Madeline Rogero of Knoxville, Tennessee; Jim Mayer of Lexington, Kentucky; Kent Guinn of Ocala, Florida, and Tom Henry of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Indianapolis'
WISH-TV said the video accused Coats of having ties with the United Northern and Southern Knights of the KKK. Coats posted two messages on Twitter refuting the charges Monday.
WLOS-TV reported Monday that Tillis' office called the KKK claim about the North Carolina senator "completely false." A
spokesman for Cornyn said, according to Media General, said that none of the emails and numbers used by Anonymous are associated with him.
Amanda Maddox, Isakson's press secretary, said that the KKK charge against the senator "is absolutely false and comes from an unverified source. Senator Isakson has never been affiliated with the KKK."
According to WATE-TV, Rogero called the Klan accusation against her "ridiculous."
"I began my political career working for the rights of farm workers with Cesar Chavez," she said in her statement. "I have spent decades working for causes of social justice and equality. As mayor, I have pushed for diversity in our workforce and outreach to and inclusion of people of all backgrounds in our community . . . In short, I don't think the KKK would want anything to do with me."
Gray told the Lexington Herald-Leader that he denies any ties to the Ku Klux Klan.
"This allegation is false, insulting and ridiculous," Gray said to the newspaper in a statement. "I have never had any relationship of any kind with the KKK. I am opposed to everything it stands for. I have no idea where this information came from, but wherever it came from, it is wrong."
Guinn told WTLV-TV that he has never been associated with the Klan, stating, "I will unequivocally tell you that that is an absolute lie, that I never have been, am not now, nor will I ever be a member of that group. [I] despise everything they stand for."
Henry released two Twitter messages as well, rejecting Anonymous' claim.
The Hill said Anonymous threatened last week to release details of some 1,000 Ku Klux Klan members in its cyber war against the group.
But there is some question as to whether the leak of senator and mayor names was actually perpetrated by Anonymous. According to
Tech Crunch, one hacker who calls himself Amped Attacks said he acted independently.
"I am not involved with Anonymous or any other hacktivist group," the hacker said. "I am my own man that acts on my own accord and the take down of WBC is just something I felt like doing cause frankly I am tired of them spewing their hate message."
Indeed, the Twitter account @Operation_KKK — which appears to be affiliated with Anonymous' KKK work — said Monday evening it did not leak any names. . . at least not yet.
The group reiterated that its #HoodsOff leak will take place Wednesday and Thursday.
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