The LookoutBrownback apologizes to teen tweeter: ‘My staff over-reacted’
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is apologizing to the teen who insulted him over Twitter last week.
"My staff over-reacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms," Brownback said in a statement to Yahoo! News on Monday. Brownback Communications Manager Sherriene Sontag-Jones says the governor has no plans to personally reach out to the high school student.
Sontag-Jones contacted Emma Sullivan's principal last week and said the 18-year-old had made an inappropriate comment about the governor over Twitter. The principal asked Sullivan to submit a written apology to the governor for her comment. Sullivan told Yahoo! News Sunday night that she would not apologize.
She wrote "Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot," to her 60 followers during Brownback's speech to high school students at the state Capitol. His staff found the comment while scouring social media sites for his name.
"I enjoyed speaking to the more than 100 students who participated in the Youth in Government Program at the Kansas Capitol. They are our future," Brownback's statement continues. "I also want to thank the thousands of Kansas educators who remind us daily of our liberties, as well as the values of civility and decorum. Again, I apologize for our over-reaction."
