A prosecutor in California is out of the courtroom after making hateful and discriminatory comments on social media, including attacks against US Rep. Maxine Waters, former first lady Michelle Obama and Mexican immigrants.
Michael Selyem, a deputy district attorney who handles gang prosecutions in San Bernardino County, was placed on administrative leave after making “negative comments” about Waters, Obama and a victim of a police shooting. He could lose his job pending the outcome of an investigation launched last month into Selyem’s purported remarks, San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos announced Monday.
“The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office does not condone hate, discrimination or incitement of violence,” the statement read. “Our community and the entire criminal justice system depends on having fair, ethical and unbiased prosecutors.”
Selyem, a 12-year department veteran, targeted Waters, Obama, the victim of a police shooting and Mexican immigrants in a series of posts on his Facebook and Instagram accounts, both of which have since been deleted, the Southern California News Group reports.
“Being a loud-mouthed c#nt in the ghetto you would think someone would have shot this bitch by now,” Selyem said of Waters.
In another post, Selyem posted an altered image of Obama holding a sign that read: “Trump grabbed my penis.”
And in a rant in the aftermath of an unspecified police shooting, Selyem wrote: “That s–tbag got exactly what he deserved … You reap what you sow. And by the way go f–k yourself you liberal s–tbag.”
Selyem, 50, of Placentia, serves as the lead attorney in a unit that tracks gangs, many of which have members who are primarily Latino. In another post on social media, Selyem depicted an image showing a man wearing an oversize sombrero with a caption that read: “Mexican word of the day: Hide.”
Sources told the Southern California News Group that district attorney officials have been aware of the posts since June 25. Selyem hung up when reached by a reporter and did not return messages seeking comment, the Southern California News Group reports.
A district attorney spokesman declined to say whether the department has an official social media policy, but some critics are calling for Selyem to lose his job.
“It is disgusting that a public official sworn to protect the public would have these ugly viewpoints,” Zeke Hernandez, president of the Santa Ana League of United Latin American Citizens No. 147, told the outlet. “The district attorney needs to take any and all appropriate action to let the public know that it does not agree with Selyem’s hateful rhetoric.”
A professor who teaches criminal and hate crime law at Cal State-San Bernardino, meanwhile, said Selyem’s comments should be taken “incredibly seriously” by Ramos.
“Such declaration are deplorable, reprehensible, disgusting and bigoted and have no place in the public domain of a trusted public official,” professor Brian Levin told the Southern California News Group. “It’s shocking if these allegations are true.”
Other posts on Selyem’s accounts include pictures of friends and relatives, cakes decorated with Grateful Dead logos and references to President Donald Trump.
“I love that all of you liberal f–king p—ies are so filled with hate,” Selyem wrote on Facebook. “Gonna be a long 8 years for your scumbags. Choo choo trump.”
