High ranking Wis. DOT official fired after Facebook rant

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The third highest ranking official at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Steve Krieser, was fired from his position after posting a rant on Facebook regarding illegal immigrants.

State Representative Josh Zepnick noticed the post on Thursday morning, August 8th. He said he could hardly believe what he was reading.

"These are over the top, insensitive, inappropriate, irresponsible comments," said Zepnick.

Zepnick's Democratic colleague, State Representative Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh, shared a photo of a bumper sticker he saw at a gas station -- an "Illegal Immigrant Hunting Permit."

A comment on the post said, in part, "About 2,000 years ago there lived a man who, if he came here, would be considered a foreigner, had olive skin, and didn't speak English. His name was Jesus."

Krieser then posted that illegal immigrants "routinely steal the identities of millions of legitimate, actual Americans, causing untold grief and billions in individual and business losses annually."

Krieser ended his post by saying, "You may see Jesus when you look at them. I see Satan."

"As a legislator I said 'I hope this guy isn't on a state-owned computer right now, doing this on state time,'" said Zepnick. "He shot back right away, 'no, no, no. I'm on personal leave today, my kid has to go to the doctor.'"

Zepnick saved a copy of the Facebook post before it was deleted. Hours later, Kriester was fired.

A spokesperson for Governor Scott Walker said, "Effective immediately, he has been removed from his position at the Department of Transportation. These comments are repugnant, completely unacceptable, and have no place in Governor Walker's administration."

FOX6 reached out to Kreiser for a comment, but did not receive a response.