A judge in a US state has apologised after forwarding an email to friends that contained a joke deemed racist and involved President Barack Obama's mother.
According to local media, the Montana state judge argued that he forwarded the email because he disliked Obama, not because he was a racist, Xinhua reported Friday.
Judge Richard Cebull told the Great Falls Tribune that his brother sent him the email, which he forwarded to six friends and acquaintances.
The judge apologised and acknowledged to the newspaper that the content of the email was racist but said he does not consider himself racist. He said he did not write the preface to the message.
"The only reason I can explain it to you is I am not a fan of our president, but this goes beyond not being a fan," Cebull said.
"I didn't send it as racist, although that's what it is. I sent it out because it's anti-Obama."