On February 21, 2012 the University of Wisconsin Extension School For Workers was forced to cancel a festival celebrating the art of the 2011 Wisconsin Uprising called “ Art In Protest.“ GOP Assemblyman Steve Nass, chairman of the Wisconsin Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee had threatened to defund the School unless it relented.
| Story about the censorship of the original show in The Progressive Magazine. |
Story about the censorship of the original show in the Capital Times. |
| Capital Times Op-Ed by Norm Stockwell | Update by David Giffey on Fighting Bob.com |
On February 24, labor cartoonist Mike Konopacki issued a parody press release on Rep. Nass's letterhead, obtained online, ridiculing the censorship. Madison’s Capital Times inadvertently published it on February 25 and then, realizing its error, removed the story from its web site and issued a disclaimer.
On February 27, Rep. Nass's office called the State Capitol Police about the use of Nass’s letterhead, prompting an investigation. Nass filed a formal felony criminal complaint against Konopacki on March 8. Kathy Wilkes of MSNBC Newsvine broke the story.
On March 13, Konopacki issued another parody press release announcing that Rep. Nass had appointed his chief of staff, Mike Mikalsen, Commissioner of Culture. This too was reported on Newsvine.
Konopacki says he is determined to preserve First Amendment rights: “I put words in politicians’ mouths all the time, and it’s never been a problem. Parody and satire are my stock-in-trade. Nass has used his position to attack freedom of speech, freedom of expression, academic freedom, and labor education. And he thinks I’ve done something criminal?”
The Dane County District Attorney has yet to make a determination on prosecution.
