A top aide to Rep. Jeff Fortenberry made a stink about a Facebook like. Now the Ethics Committee is

[jpak]

A top aide to Rep. Jeff Fortenberry made a stink about a Facebook like. Now the Ethics Committee is involved.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/02/an-aide-rep-fortenberry-made-stink-about-facebook-like-now-ethics-committee-is-involved/?utm_term=.ca83c6ff9882

To be a public official, you need a pretty thick skin. People are going to call you all sorts of names and pick apart your words and actions.

But for a seven-term congressman who has surely heard this one before, a fart joke on a campaign sign was one step too far.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) found no humor in someone changing the “o” in his last name to an “a” and amending his slogan to support the aforementioned ode to flatulence. The vandal also picked up on a hot 2018 trend and placed a pair of googly eyes on his face.

It is not clear when the vandalism happened, although Fortenberry tweeted Oct. 24, drawing a connection between vandalism and political violence on the same day pipe bombs were mailed to prominent Democrats and CNN’s headquarters.

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Link to tweet

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[SWBTATTReg]

1. Trying to fire someone for simply liking something that they probably weren't in no way resp. ...

for is just plain stupid and ignorant. I think Fortenberry's aide damaged the campaign by having no sense of humor. Folks in Nebraska do have a sense of humor. Damaging political signs in some jurisdictions is illegal, so one should be careful.

[manor321]

2. That stinks

[mnhtnbb]

3. I lived in Lincoln, NE when this guy was starting out

his political career in local elected office. He is a total right wing tool. A real asshole. I'm surprised it has taken this long to alter any of his signs to Fartenberry. Very clever, entirely appropriate, and well deserved. Republicans are humorless and so thin skinned.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

4. Who doesn't 'like' a good fart joke?

I mean... come on!

[Achilleaze]

5. The nickname FARTenberry will henceforth live on for decades

Really stupid of the republicans to make a big STINK out of a junior high caliber insult. Now no one will every forget FARTenberry (R).

Sad.

[Hortensis]

6. The ethics violation is for THREATENING a professor for

merely "liking" a picture of the billboard on Facebook. Fortenberry's chief of staff reportedly threatened to go after his reputation with claims that he supported vandalism.

Unfortunately, for Fortenberry et al, the prof recorded the phone conversation and reported the staffer to the House Ethics Committee. The American Association of University Professors is now in it also. And of course local and national media.