Observers of Milwaukee election recount were given poop emoji wristbands from Wisconsin Center staff
MILWAUKEE — Each day of the recount seems to bring some new controversy.
And on Tuesday morning, the controversy briefly turned to poop — or more specifically, poop emoji wristbands given to recount observers who arrived at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee.
On previous days, the observer wristbands featured things like "VIP" in gold or purple lettering.
But all observers — those for Donald Trump, Joe Biden or media members — who arrived Tuesday morning had a paper wristband with smiling poop emojis affixed around their wrists to show they passed the required health screen. Some were not happy about it.
"A recount volunteer says she and others were forced to wear these bracelets to participate in recount," conservative radio talk show host Vicki McKenna tweeted. "Staff, attorneys and volunteers all wearing them. Do these people NOT take elections seriously?"
She called on the Wisconsin Elections Commission to explain whether the wristbands were "acceptable."
A recount volunteer says she and others were forced to wear these bracelets to participate in recount. Staff, attorneys and volunteers all wearing them. Do these people NOT take elections seriously? @WI_Elections, please tell me why this is acceptable? @bobspindell @empowerwi pic.twitter.com/U42assscjR
— Vicki McKenna (@VickiMcKenna) November 24, 2020
But the state panel apparently had nothing to do with them. Neither did the Milwaukee County officials overseeing the recount.
Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson dismissed the controversy as silly.
"I always thought it was chocolate ice cream, personally," Christenson said when asked about the poop emoji wristbands. "Wisconsin Center is our vendor. They handle the logistics. They are probably just pulling what they have in stock, because this is the first opportunity they've had to be open in quite some time due to this pandemic. So again, it's a non-issue. Everybody got one."
Christenson added, "I think this shows that some people are just desperate for any controversy that they hope will distract from the fact that the recount is going smoothly and will confirm the results reported on election night."
Asked about complaints about the poop emoji wristbands given out to recount observers in Milwaukee, County Clerk George Christenson said, “I always thought it was chocolate ice cream, personally.” pic.twitter.com/tVErpdQzeJ
— Mary Spicuzza (@MSpicuzzaMJS) November 24, 2020
Contact Mary Spicuzza at (414) 224-2324 or mary.spicuzza@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MSpicuzzaMJS.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Recount observers got poop emoji wristband from Wisconsin center staff
