In February, presidential hopeful Trump came under fire, after former KKK leader David Duke endorsed the billionaire, stating that any white American voting for Trump’s rivals is tantamount to "treason to your heritage."
For many, the Klan’s approval of the real estate mogul was emblematic of his inflammatory rhetoric.
Less reported, however, is that a handful of KKK groups have also endorsed Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. A California chapter of the hate group has raised money for the candidate.
"She is friends with the Klan. A lot of people don’t realize that. She’s friends with Senator Byrd. He’s been an Exulted Cyclops in the Klan," said Will Quigg, a Grand Dragon of the KKK, according to Vocativ.
Robert Byrd, a senator from West Virginia who served as a leader with the hate group in the 1940s, who later came to regret his involvement, was referred to by Hillary Clinton as a "friend and mentor," at the time of his death in 2010.
"In the Bible, it says when you pray, pray in a closed, dark place by yourself," Quigg said. "Do not pray on the street corners where people can see you…that’s why I got $20,000 together and sent it to Hillary Clinton’s campaign anonymously."
Clinton campaign spokesman Josh Schwerin told Vocativ that the campaign fiercely rejects the endorsement from any group with ties to the KKK.
"This is completely false," he said. "We want no part of them or their money and vehemently reject their hateful agenda."
While donations can be made without donors identifying themselves, Schwerin says even that scenario is impossible, since the campaign "has not received anywhere close to $20,000 in anonymous donations in total, [so] it is impossible that they are telling the truth."
Quigg initially supported Trump, tweeting in September 2015 that the billionaire "is the only hope to get White America back." He switched his allegiance in December 2015, however, saying he believes that Clinton "makes false promises in her presidential campaign."
"She’s telling everybody what they want to hear so she can get elected," he said. "Once she’s in the presidency, she’s going to come out and her true colors are going to show."
