County executive candidate Nath kicked out of event
Purnima Nath, a candidate for Milwaukee County executive, was kicked out of an event hosted by immigrant advocacy group Voces de la Frontera on Saturday after, the group says, she “verbally attacked multi-racial youth leaders.”
The group said in a statement that she was removed “in order to protect the minors and their parents from abusive rhetoric.”
Nath went into a room where students were creating art, yelling at them and calling them “illegal,” the group said.
In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nath denied that she called the students illegal. She said the students came over to her and told her she shouldn’t be there and shouldn’t run for office. She said she felt threatened.
The confrontation happened during the event at Milwaukee’s South Division High School.
A video surfaced Saturday in which
Andrea Rodriguez, a candidate for District 4 Milwaukee County Board supervisor, is heard telling Nath that she insulted everyone in the room by calling them illegal.
“You called us illegal, it is not OK — ever,” Rodriguez said.
In the video, Nath says she is also an immigrant, supports immigration and follows the law. She said breaking the law is wrong.
In a Facebook post, Nath said students went out of their way to create a scene and that “the attack was on me, because I follow law of the land. And these children are taught to act and behave like this.”
Nath is one of four candidates and the lone conservative running for Milwaukee County executive.
Also running are state Sen. Chris Larson, state Rep. David Crowley and County Board Chairman Theo Lipscomb Sr. A primary Feb. 18 will narrow the field to two for the April 7 general election.
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced in October that he would not seek another term.