Wardlow campaign responds to criticism over firing statement

A number of public attorneys are criticizing Attorney General candidate Doug Wardlow for saying he wants to fire all the DFL attorneys in the office.

A DFL party worker was also under fire Monday for making his own partisan remarks, calling for the heads of republicans.

Wardlow said if elected, he’ll appoint assistants and deputies who believe in the rule of law and the Constitution.

But a number of former public attorneys cite a recording of Wardlow in which he apparently states he would fire all 42 DFL attorneys in the AG’s office and replace them with republicans.

“It is a very bright red line not to employ line staff attorneys based upon party affiliation,” said Prentice Cox, a former attorney in the AG’s office.  

“To purge or politicize that office for a personal agenda is wrong on more levels than I can stand up here and count here today,” added Carla Hagen, former attorney in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.  

But the Wardlow campaign fired back Monday against what they call “DFL hyper-partisanship.”

They say a DFL employee replied to an Instagram post about taking back the country on election day with the comment, “bring them to the guillotines.”

The DFL issued its own statement this afternoon saying “the comment made by William Davis on social media this weekend was absolutely unacceptable. The DFL offers its apologies and assurance that these types of remarks by our employees are not the way we conduct business.”

All of the incidents unfolded during a contentious season in politics.

“I’m sure you’re thinking it’s naïve to say that politics has nothing to do with it …but there are lines and then there bright lines, and this is a bright line,” Cox said.  

As for William Davis, a party spokesman say he has been suspended for one week.

Statement from DFL Executive Director Corey Day:

"The comment made by William Davis on social media this weekend was unacceptable. The DFL offers its apologies and assurance that these types of remarks by our employees are not the way we conduct our business.

"The comment Will made was an inside joke among former co-workers, but it is completely inconsistent with the standards we hold our employees to. I have spoken with Will and about our social media standards and our expectation that he use appropriate judgment when commenting and posting. He regrets the post and has deleted it."