Twitter has suspended the account of a politician after a series of controversial tweets over the weekend, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Republican Paul Nehlen is challenging House Speaker Paul Ryan, of Janesville, for his southern Wisconsin congressional seat.
His tweet Friday included a picture of Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancée, American actress Meghan Markle. Nehlen edited the picture replacing Markle’s face with a photo of Cheddar Man, the name of an ancient fossil found in the Cheddar Gorge in England, whose image was recently recreated with DNA analysis, according to British newspaper The Guardian.
Stay informed on the latest news
Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.
Nehlen said he was making a joke, but a British newspaper called the tweet racist. Markle’s co-star in the USA-Network show “Suits,” actor Patrick J. Adams, condemned the tweet, saying Markle has more strength and compassion “in her fingernail” than Nehlen “will ever know.”
Last month Nehlen drew criticism again after publishing a list of his critics to Twitter, and saying most were Jewish. He later published the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of people who complained to the campaign.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.