McLean County officials say they have “swiftly and severely” addressed a social media post made by a McLean County Nursing Home staffer who posted a message approving of the killing of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
The staffer joins dozens of people across the country whose social media posts about Kirk have put their jobs in jeopardy.
McLean County Nursing Home Administrator Tim Wiley posted on social media Saturday, but didn’t say what disciplinary action was taken against the employee.
“While McLean County supports fully the First Amendment to freedom of speech, we are also committed to preserving public trust and preventing unnecessary disruptions and inefficiencies in carrying out our public service mission,” Wiley said in a statement posted on the McLean County Nursing Home’s Facebook page. “In keeping with our high expectations and standards for all our employees, we can assure you that this matter was addressed swiftly and severely.”
Wiley provided no details about the statements — only that they were made by an employee on a social media forum and they “do not reflect in any way the views of McLean County and the McLean County Nursing Home, nor are they indicative of the support and services we provide.”
When contacted by WGLT on Monday, Wiley declined to specify what disciplinary action was taken against the employee, citing personnel matters.
A search of social media revealed a screen capture of a post from someone who is listed as a registered nurse on the McLean County Nursing Home online directory saying, “This is what he stood for. I have no problem with him being dead, since he didn’t have a problem with others dying by guns. At least he lived and died by his own damn words. Hopefully his widow doesn’t pass their bs on to their poor kids.”
That appears to reference a 2023 interview with Kirk in which he said, “It’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.”
Messages left with the nursing home employee have not been returned.
McLean County Board member Corey Beirne, a Democrat, chairs the board’s Health Committee, the oversight body for the county-run nursing home. Beirne said Sunday he wasn’t aware of the details that prompted Wiley’s post, but when a reporter shared the contents of the initial post, he said he supports Wiley 100%.
“Administrator Wiley does a fabulous job running the nursing home. We’re going to back whatever call he decides to make on this one,” Beirne said. “These are difficult times and emotions are hot. In these fraught times, we have to be very careful about our rhetoric and think about what moves things forward and helps rather than hurts.
“Comments that I’ve heard that have been made are just not helpful and especially when it reflects negatively on the good work that’s done by the folks in the McLean County Nursing Home, then that has to be corrected.”
Regarding free speech rights, Beirne added, “We have to think of the consequences of those words as well.”
McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston referred questions about the matter to Wiley and human resources.
NPR reports dozens of employees across the country have been fired, faced other disciplinary action or pressure to resign for criticizing Kirk or using boastful or critical language when referring to his assassination.
