On Tuesday evening, a rally was held outside Wausau, Wisconsin's City Hall to protest Mayor Doug Diny's removal of a ballot drop box from the same location 2 days earlier.
Attendees of the rally demanded answers from the GOP-backed Mayor for his actions, which were publicized by photos and surveillance footage catching him in the act.
"Who is he to think, how dare he take away this ballot box," stated Wausau resident Fred Tealey. "And it's against the law for him to do it."
According to Diny, the box "was relocated to a safe indoor location until certain issues that the clerk is aware of are addressed."
An activist who organized the rally, Nancy Stencil, alleged that the removal was part of a wider scheme to suppress votes.
"The City of Wausau is just trying to confuse the voters, make it harder for people to vote, and undermine our elections," said Stencil.
The Wausau Pilot and Review reported city Council President Lisa Rasmussen's call for a public apology from Diny.
"I have huge concerns about this behavior, as there is no place for elected officials to manage, alter or tamper with drop boxes, whether they agree with their use or not," Rasmussen said. "I have voiced my concerns to the mayor about his conduct, and requested he return the box and issue a public apology to the clerk and the community, as his actions violate the public trust and likely also the law."
In a statement provided to NewsChannel 7, Mayor Diny defended his actions by asserting that he was doing his duty.
"I was hired to tighten things up at city hall. This action is consistent with my overall position and what I heard from residents when I was knocking on doors. I was uncomfortable with certain staff actions that ran counter to previous agreements I had with the clerk on the matter. I too am researching legal opinions." said Diny.
City Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde is working with the Wisconsin Elections Commission to determine if any laws were broken, which will in-turn determine how law enforcement proceeds regarding the situation.
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