WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAU-Wisconsin Radio Network) — Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-7) isn’t apologizing for comments made around the state’s Presidential recount on Fox News Channel.
Duffy took to Twitter on Wednesday and pushed back at a criticism of his comments.
On Fox News, Duffy said, “We only have one county that’s hand-counting the votes, that’s Dane County which is the home of Madison, it’s the progressive, liberal, communist community of Madison… They’re taking as long as they can.”
“It’s a sad state of affairs for these Democrats who don’t believe in Democracy and freedom and free elections,” Duffy told Fox host Tucker Carlson. “They want to use politics to undermine the will of the voter.”
Duffy’s remarks drew some sharp comments from Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. “For years I’ve been listening to morons like Representative Duffy, who are resentful of the fact that Madison is Wisconsin’s economic engine,” Soglin said.
Second District Representative Mark Pocan represents Madison in Washington. Pocan posted Duffy’s remarks to his YouTube page, and wants his GOP colleague to apologize.
“It’s not the way we’ve operated in Wisconsin,” Pocan said. “We’ve tried to work together well across party lines, and if he’s going to try to ‘Trump-ize’ Wisconsin I think that’s going to be a really bad day for how federal relations work and how we can benefit the state.”
Mayor Soglin was less interested in an apology. “I couldn’t care less,” he said. “It’s just a sad state of affairs that such ignorance is sitting in Washington, representing a fine part of the state of Wisconsin.”
On Twitter Wednesday, Duffy suggested that those offended by his comments didn’t get the joke, tweeting, “The PC crowd is humorless. For those offended by my ‘communist’ comment, I’ll send a therapy dog to your ‘safe place’ of choice in Madison.”
In a seperate tweet, Duffy called on Pocan and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin to accept the results of the election in Wisconsin and denounce the “frivolous recount.”
The Elections Commission has said that a majority of the state’s 72 counties were doing hand recounts of ballots.
