Decision Expected Next Week In Obama E-mail Flap

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A state Senate official says he expects a decision by the end of next week on how to reprimand a Senate employee who sent an e-mail to hundreds of government workers showing President Barack Obama as white.

Jerry Guillot, Senate chief of staff, wouldn't provide details Wednesday about what options are being considered.

Senate researcher Tammy Crain-Waldrop has been suspended without pay pending a decision by Senate leaders about how to handle the e-mail.

Crain-Waldrop sent a message that included a doctored photo of Obama with light skin and says, "Do you like him any better now? No? Me neither ..... Then you're not a racist."

Several black lawmakers replied to the e-mail, calling it offensive.

After she sent the e-mail, Crain-Waldrop sent another message apologizing and saying she sent it to the Capitol e-mail post office box by mistake.