A director for Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District DFL committee resigned Friday after his tweet equating Marines to murderers drew sharp criticism.
The post came days after Gov. Tim Walz condemned another social media comment about the military by a DFL Party staffer.
Laine Scheuble, a volunteer for the local party committee, responded Thursday night to a tweet from Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, who had posted a message congratulating his son for completing basic training and becoming a Marine.
“Can’t wait to hear about all the Iranian civilians he murdered after you and the GOP finish the garbage kabuki theatre false flags and invade Iran,” wrote a Twitter user with the name Laine, who identifies himself as a DFL Director in his Twitter biography.
Scheuble was elected in May as one of a handful of directors for the Sixth District committee, according to the committee’s Facebook page. He could not be reached for comment.
District directors are unpaid volunteers who sit on their congressional districts’ central committees, which work to support endorsed candidates and fill party vacancies between conventions, according to Minnesota DFL Party spokesman Brian Evans.
“The author of the tweet in question is not and has never been a staffer of the Minnesota DFL. Our party is investigating whether he is affiliated with local party units in any way, and will take action to have him removed if that is the case,” the state DFL Party posted on Twitter Friday.
Evans later said Scheuble had resigned.
The DFL called the tweet “reprehensible” and said it does not reflect its values, adding that the party will always support the armed forces and veterans.
Days before, a staff member for the state DFL referred to a newly launched Navy ship, the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, as a “murder boat” on Twitter. Walz, a Democrat, said he was “totally appalled” by the comment from Will Davis. Davis was subsequently removed from the position of deputy communications director but remains research director.
The Republican Party of Minnesota and GOP legislators condemned the posts.
“Following a mere slap on the wrist to the DFL’s former spokesperson for saying the same, it seems other military hating Democrats feel emboldened to voice their opinions against our troops,” Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan said in a statement.
Comments on social media by local party affiliates have caused trouble for both political parties. In February, the Clay County Republican Party came under fire when the chapter compared U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders to Adolf Hitler in a Facebook post.
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