Contact: Courtney Beyer, [email protected]
What excuse will Kooyenga make this time?
MADISON — Three months after state Rep. Dale Kooyenga promised to reimburse taxpayers $30,000 for a legal settlement over Kooyenga’s unlawful removal of a sign he found personally distasteful, Kooyenga still hasn’t written a check.
“Wisconsinites expect better out of their elected officials,” said George Gillis, Democratic Party of Wisconsin executive director. “Dale Kooyenga has made excuse after excuse for this costly and completely avoidable episode, and now three months later, he still hasn’t followed through on his promise to pay back taxpayers. He should be ashamed.”
Kooyenga has changed his account of the events in May 2017 several times, each excuse more strange and dubious than the last. At one point Kooyenga claimed he removed the sign out of fear for children who would see it, then he suggested his military training demanded he remove the sign.
“Here’s the truth Dale Kooyenga won’t tell us: he was offended by a sign that was critical of his party, so he removed it. Dale Kooyenga didn’t care that the owner of the sign had a legal and constitutional right to post it, and he doesn’t seem to care now that his recklessness has cost Wisconsin taxpayers $30,000.”
