The Rutland Republican Party’s official Facebook page featured a post Sunday which Democratic Party chair Jake Perkinson branded “vile” and “discriminatory,” in a statement to the press. Perkinson demanded an apology from GOP chair Jack Lindley and Rutland County Republicans.
The original Sunday story, on political blog Green Mountain Daily, has the Facebook post in full:
“Just wanted to let you know – today I received my 2012 Social Security Stimulus Package. It contained two tomato seeds, cornbread mix, a prayer rug, a machine to blow smoke up my butt, 2 discount coupons to KFC, an “Obama Hope & Change” bumper sticker, and a “Blame it on Bush” poster for the front yard. The directions were in Spanish. Watch for yours soon.”
The post was later deleted, but not before one page administrator commented: “Comedy is usually based in reality…..call it racist if you must….not too far off from the truth.”
“Comparing the 2012 Social Security Stimulus Package to racist rhetoric is appalling,” said Democratic chair Perkinson in a statement, adding that deleting the post wasn’t sufficient. “Both the Rutland County Republicans and Lindley should apologize for vile comments that only move Vermont backwards.”
Meanwhile, GOP chair Lindley said he “knew nothing” of the post, and had to have it read out to him over the phone. After listening to the Rutland GOP’s Facebook post, he said: “What you’ve read to me isn’t tolerated in any civil discourse anywhere in the state.”
As for an official apology, Lindley said, “I haven’t actually seen it, so it’s a little hard for me to be able to say that I’m issuing an apology.” He repeated that it wasn’t part of “civil discourse” several times, however, also calling it “most inappropriate.”
“I can’t shed any light on it for you,” he said, unsure of the origins or context of the post. “It’s a little premature to know what I should be saying.” Lindley noted that he had no control over the Rutland GOP Facebook page, and said he didn’t know who was in charge of their Facebook presence, saying, finally: “If I had any control over it whatsoever, that would never see the light of day. But I have no control over it, obviously.”
It remains a mystery who wrote the post and who allowed it to be made public on the Facebook page. Rutland County Republicans communications director Courtney Mattis, listed as the page’s owner, said she does not moderate the content on the page, and was not directly involved in the post.
Meanwhile, Rutland County Republican chair Rob Towle issued the following response this afternoon:
“I totally regret that some members of the Democratic party were offended by the satirical post on the Rutland County Facebook page yesterday. I and a few others that commented on the page did not see the possible inflammatory comments as anything other than political commentary.”
“I realize now that there are those that were deeply offended and I will make sure that any posts to our pages will reflect the spirit of good natured political discussions.”
