Congressman's Aide Fired for 'Broke Girls' Tweet

Rep. Labrador's spokesman tweeted from the boss's account

During the Super Bowl, Rep. Raul Labrador's Twitter following might have got the impression that the congressman had downed one PBR too many. "Me likey Broke Girls," read a tweet sent from Rep. Ladrador's account in response to a pole dancing-themed ad for CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls.

As you've probably guessed, the tweet wasn't the work of Rep. Labrador himself. It was sent by his spokesman, Phil Hardy, who inadvertently sent the "personal" tweet from his boss's account. Evidently realizing his mistake, Hardy deleted the tweet within 14 seconds, but it was archived by Politiwoops, a site that preserved politicians' tweets even after they've been deleted.

No one would have paid much attention, except that Rep. Labrador decided that the inadvertent tweet was a firing offense, and gave Hardy his pink slip. So now the media is full of headlines bringing together Rep. Labrador's name with the phrases "fired staffer" and "me likely Broke Girls," which we are sure is not precisely what the congressman wanted.

Via the Idaho Statesman and Twitter.

Was Rep. Labrador right to fire his spokesman over this tweet?

[Medicinebow]

Another reason I don't "tweet".

[Medicinebow]

Kind of a funny statement next to my hummingbird pic.

[ASmith]

Twitter is for twits.

[thatgirl]

He could have said something amusing about it and moved on, but noooooo, cant do that, can we?

[Real4WheelDrv]

Would people have LET him move on? Would they believe him if he said it was an aide and not him that did it?

[thatgirl]

@Real4WheelDrv Note that I said "amusing". ;) Key word there.

[Dan_Tien]

Rep. Raul Labrador is a Republican. Saying something amusing and moving on could have been seen as slack-jawed liberal weakness.

[thatgirl]

@Dan_Tien Thank you for taking my cue. :D

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Unimportant news. I don't really care.

[wild_turkey6]

Wow, we agree again.

[AceLuby]

Politicians should not be on Twitter. It has hurt FAR more careers than helped.

[Clarke12]

reprimanded for using the account, yes. but firing the guy? worse things have been tweeted by politicians..

[Heavy-Fed]

Everything out there that needs to be talked about... and you give us this.

[Real4WheelDrv]

Just another pitfall of A. trying to be hip and being on Twitter when there's no need and it has more potential for misunderstanding because of character limits, and more importantly B. empowering anyone to use social media/email on your behalf. Look at the state D.C. is in, it's not like this Rep is so swamped with work that he can't handle his own stuff.

[Knightkore]

Why is this news?

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

It isn't.

[martydotcom]

OK I'll bite who the he'll is Ron Labrador and why would any one care what a drunk aide Tweeted.

[PoliticalSpice]

@martydotcom some republican, but really, this is a stupid story.

[DARSB]

How many of the Representative's 3,000 Twitter followers saw the tweet in 14 seconds? And did any of them care?

[Thegrif]

I didn't care
Lol

[marine1]

you know, it seems that people only care about this kind of s&!t when the media blows it out of proportion. There is so much that they could expose that might help stop the waste and corruption but instead, they choose crap like this.

[MongoAPillager]

if you can be fired for free speech such as that,maybe as a nation we are too stupid to survive,the utter amount of PC fear that would lead to that is staggering!!if a politician is that afraid of the PC police,would he have the nads to stand for anything of the slightest importance?

[MongoAPillager]

so is "likey"The new n-word??

[Realthinker]

This isn't news, or it wouldn't be if the Congress critter had been a Democrat. This is intended to be filed under "mean, nasty Republicans". It is the ONLY reason it was published by Politix.

[DarthSidious]

I could care less about what some politician's aide who is probably a liberal tweet's about a dumb show who has 2 liberals as the main stars, the dark haired one who is on the demand a plan ad...show should be called Dumb Girls.

[DarthSidious]

Oh I see he was a Republican aide...still could care less...because they all work for the same bosses and it ain't us.

[harold_lloyd]

I'm glad to see a politician choose principle over PR. At least I hope that's the way it was....

[jaybebo84]

This would have been a non-issue if it had happened to a Democratic congressperson...the media is the liberal darling...

[stepped_in_it]

Me likey RICH girls!

[SomethinsFishy]

And we are REALLY SURE that it was Congressman Labrador's aide who posted the tweet and not Labrador himself and the aide is just falling on his sword (no pun intended) in order to save Congressman Labrador? So what's so bad about liking "Two Brokeback Girls", except you really have to like them in order to ignore the mechanical delivery of the lines and the terrible acting?

[jessejaymes]

There you have it. Tweet something idiotic and you get fired. Do NOTHING in Congress and you get re-elected. Is this a great country or what?

[Thegrif]

Almost as stupid as paying a 7'0" tall man 8 million a year to slam a basketball, while we pay a surgeon who reaches in someone chest and brings them back to life a few hundred thousand.

[DarthSidious]

And do nothing as President I.E. Bush Jr. and Obama and you get re-elected.