California Prosecutor Put on Leave After ‘Discriminatory Comments’ About Maxine Waters

A prosecutor in Southern California has been placed on leave while his office investigates what officials said Monday were “discriminatory comments” he posted on social media that reportedly took aim at Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; Michelle Obama; Mexican immigrants; and a person killed in a police shooting.

In a Facebook comment, the prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Michael Selyem, used derogatory terms to describe Waters — who represents a congressional district in Los Angeles — including a vulgar term for part of the female anatomy, and mused that one “would think someone would have shot” her, according to The San Bernardino Sun. On Friday, the newspaper reported the comments and posted screenshots of posts by a person that went by Selyem’s name.

According to The Sun, Selyem, a prosecutor with a unit targeting gangs for the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, also wrote that a person who had been shot by police “got exactly what he deserved,” and referred to the person by a derogatory word. In addition, Selyem posted an altered photo of Obama holding a lewd sign, according to the newspaper; it also said that Selyem published an online post showing a man in an oversized sombrero accompanied by the words, “Mexican word of the day: Hide.”

By Monday, both Selyem’s Facebook and Instagram accounts appeared to have been deleted. Multiple attempts to reach him by phone and email were not successful.

In a statement Monday, prosecutors in San Bernardino County — which covers a giant swath of inland California that stretches from the Nevada border to the eastern border of Los Angeles County — said they had started an investigation soon after learning about Selyem’s “negative comments” on June 28.

They said Selyem, 50, would remain on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the investigation, which they noted “could result in disciplinary action leading up to termination.” The Sun reported that Selyem joined the office 12 years ago.

“The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office does not condone hate, discrimination or incitement of violence,” District Attorney Mike Ramos said at a news conference Monday. “Our community and the entire criminal justice system depends on having fair, ethical and unbiased prosecutors. We must insist on that.”

The office said it would have no additional comment, and Christopher Lee, a spokesman for the office, did not immediately respond to an email, phone call or text message.

Waters has recently been in the spotlight after she urged supporters to “push back” on members of the Trump administration who are seen in public places and “tell them they’re not welcome.” Selyem’s offensive comment was in response to a Facebook post about Waters’ remarks and a video of her making them, The Sun reported.

Efforts to reach Waters’ office Monday night were not immediately successful.

An assistant district attorney has been assigned to examine cases Selyem handled in the gang unit, The Los Angeles Times reported. But Ramos said that there were no immediate indications that Selyem had exhibited bias, according to the newspaper.