'Obama' $3 bills removed from GOP booth

MONROE, Wash., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A Republican organization in Washington state has apologized for $3 bills at a county fair booth showing Barack Obama in Muslim garb.

Geri Modrell, the Republican chairwoman in Snohomish County, said a volunteer brought the bills after finding them on a right-wing Web site, the Seattle Times reported.

"I don't think it's funny," Modrell said. "They were offensive. The volunteers are being told very clearly they must not do these sorts of things."

The bills show Obama wearing an Arab headdress with a camel behind him, a clear reference to rumors -- false ones -- that he is a Muslim or was brought up as one. They have signatures supposedly from U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy as "chief Socialism adviser" and the Rev. Al Sharpton as "spiritual adviser."

Ronnie Thibault, who calls herself a "hard-core Democrat," said the Republicans staffing the booth threatened to call security when she complained to them about the bills.

Modrell said she had the bills removed as soon as she heard about them.