A Minnesota Republican official on deleted tweets in which he responded to a Democrat mourning the death of actor Robin Williams in a strangely political way.
Ellen Anderson, director of digital media and social organizing for the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, published a tweet Monday night commemorating Williams.
My cat’s nickname is Nanu Nanu. The world is lucky Robin Williams was able to share his genius with so many.
— Ellen C. Anderson (@ellencanderson) August 11, 2014
Chris Fields, the deputy chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party, responded to her tweet with a political comment promoting a GOP candidate, according to the Huffington Post.
“How very 80’s. Want an economy like we had in the 80’s under Reagan…Vote @Jeff4Gov tomorrow in the primary,” he wrote in a tweet to Anderson.
After initial negative reaction on Twitter, Field defended his response in a second tweet:
“It’s curious to me why ppl mourn the loss of celebrities but ignore the misery everyday ppl live with as policies crush hope and opportunity,” he said.
Fields has now removed his tweets, but Buzzfeed captured screenshots of his replies.
Jeff Johnson, the GOP gubernatorial candidate plugged by Fields denounced the Republican officials decision to use Williams death to discuss politics.
The Tweets last night mixing Robin Williams’ death w/politics were inappropriate & wrong. America will dearly miss him
— Johnson for Governor (@Jeff4Gov) August 12, 2014
Actor and comedian Robin Williams died Monday at age 63 in an apparent suicide.