After Madison, WI-State Assemblyman Steve Nass threatened funding for University of Wisconsin if it went ahead with a planned “Art of Protest” exhibit, Madison political cartoonist Mike Konopacki created a parody press release taking jabs at Nass’ actions. Now Nass has filed a criminal complaint alleging Mike misused Nass’ official letterhead. The state has a law that makes it a felony to “act as a public officer or employee or a utility employee”.
The Capital Times mistook the faux press release and ran it online for about 40 minutes before it was pulled after it was pointed out as being fake but by then it had gone viral.
Thomas Nast was nastiest
When drawing folks like Mr. Nass,
And Mike K. only parodied
A press release, hilariously,
But if a letter head’s a felony,
Then Konopacki just might be
Another free speech casualty…