Wisconsin Democrats Demote Staffer Who Compared Gov. Scott Walker To Jeffrey Dahmer
Comparing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to serial killer/cannibal Jeffery Dahmer is not a “recipe” for job security.
Graeme Zielinski lost his job — as Wisconsin Democrat Party spokesman — for doing just that on Twitter. The offensive Dahmer-related tweets in question were subsequently taken down, and Zielinski later apologized — on Twitter — for his inappropriate social media activity
State authorities recently ended a criminal probe of the GOP governor’s aides and associates for alleged illegal campaign activity with no further action, and that was the context of Zielinski’s controversial tweets. No charges were brought against Walker himself.
As a foe of Walker, Zielienski has a history of inflammatory tweeting. On the occasion of a Medicare anniversary, for example, Zielinski tweeted: “It’s Medicare’s 45th Birthday. Celebrate by punching a Republican.”
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Zielinski is staying on the payroll at least for now as a so-called media adviser but he is “no longer permitted to post on Twitter.” He also was docked one day’s pay which reportedly amounts to $1,000.
Against the backdrop of Walker’s contentious collective bargaining reforms, known as Act 10, that were voted into law by after a protracted political struggle and massive protests in Madison by the state legislature in 2011, organized labor and the Democrats mounted a recall election against the governor, which failed. Recalls of other Republican office holders were only temporarily successful as both houses of the state legislature are back under GOP control. An effort to dislodge a perceived Scott Walker ally from the state supreme court also was defeated. Walker is the only governor in American history to survive a recall. Act 10 among other things ended mandatory public sector union membership and automatic dues deductions. In late January, the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit upheld the constitutionality of the law, although various other legal challenges are still pending in the state courts.
