"This is the campaign managers response to a false accusation made by a news source of a picture that surfaced of her allegedly being in the KKK. This is her response:
"There has been a recent false accusation with me having ties with the Ku Klux Klan otherwise known as the KKK. Pictures have surfaced with a female that looks like me but is clearly not. The picture was also taken of a person with long dark brown hair and you can see only the side of their nose and their eyes are closed. This could be anyone. This pictures date was March 20th, 2013. I was 23 years old at this time and attending college at the University of Northern Colorado. Specifically this day I was visiting my then boyfriend at his parent's house for a barbecue. This picture was taken at a clan meeting in Memphis, Tennessee. This information was given to me by The Guardian (which is a news organization). Apparently, members of the KKK were going to protest because the city council voted to strip a former clan member from the park. This parks name is the Nathan Bedford Forrest Park. I grew up in a good Christian home with a single mother that taught me to respect everyone equally because you don’t know what it is like to be them. What shoes they walk in. What clothes they wear. Whether they work in steel toe boots, comfy slippers, or black polished shoes. You never know what they go home to. For these facts alone, they show that I have no hatred towards one singular group of people nor hatred for anyone. I stand strong in the decision to support and help an African American man be elected for presidency. I have had no affiliation with this social/political party and have no intention to be affiliated with such an evil group of people. Not only am I supporting a man for the presidency. I am supporting a friend. I am happy to be able to talk to Mr. Carson just like any other human being. I believe that he will be an amazing president and is not only for those close to him but for of all of America. I strongly believe that he could change America for the better. If I was a KKK member, would I be able to shake Mr. Carson’s hand and look him in the eyes promising him that I will give it my best shot for him to be elected?" - Leah Adkins December 7th, 2018
"There has been a recent false accusation with me having ties with the Ku Klux Klan otherwise known as the KKK. Pictures have surfaced with a female that looks like me but is clearly not. The picture was also taken of a person with long dark brown hair and you can see only the side of their nose and their eyes are closed. This could be anyone. This pictures date was March 20th, 2013. I was 23 years old at this time and attending college at the University of Northern Colorado. Specifically this day I was visiting my then boyfriend at his parent's house for a barbecue. This picture was taken at a clan meeting in Memphis, Tennessee. This information was given to me by The Guardian (which is a news organization). Apparently, members of the KKK were going to protest because the city council voted to strip a former clan member from the park. This parks name is the Nathan Bedford Forrest Park. I grew up in a good Christian home with a single mother that taught me to respect everyone equally because you don’t know what it is like to be them. What shoes they walk in. What clothes they wear. Whether they work in steel toe boots, comfy slippers, or black polished shoes. You never know what they go home to. For these facts alone, they show that I have no hatred towards one singular group of people nor hatred for anyone. I stand strong in the decision to support and help an African American man be elected for presidency. I have had no affiliation with this social/political party and have no intention to be affiliated with such an evil group of people. Not only am I supporting a man for the presidency. I am supporting a friend. I am happy to be able to talk to Mr. Carson just like any other human being. I believe that he will be an amazing president and is not only for those close to him but for of all of America. I strongly believe that he could change America for the better. If I was a KKK member, would I be able to shake Mr. Carson’s hand and look him in the eyes promising him that I will give it my best shot for him to be elected?" - Leah Adkins December 7th, 2018