Capper’s Work Computer Seized

Well, well… I see that capper is in a wee bit of trouble. 

The Milwaukee County District Attorney is investigating a Milwaukee County health department employee suspected of operating three political internet blogs during work hours based on a complaint filed by CRG Network Director of Field Operations Orville Seymer.

Wisconsin law prohibits public employees from using taxpayer resources for political purposes. A government employee running political blogs at work is clearly seem to be a taxpayer-funded political activity.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office has taken possession of the government computer used by Christopher Liebenthal, a Milwaukee County employee who operates the three political blogs. Computer records show he was posting to his blog during work hours and possibly from taxpayer-funded computers.

Liebenthal has been active in Milwaukee County First and AFSCME Local 48. He has blogged or maintained web pages for those groups as well as his own. Blogging under the name “Capper,” Liebenthal writes for two political blogs called Cognitive Dissidence and Whallah! Numerous political columns by “Capper” [Liebenthal] were posted during working hours.

I guess we’ll see what the investigation reveals. 

In a larger context, this should remind everyone who posts stuff online - whether it be on a blog, facebook, twitter, or whatever - that there is a time and a place for everything.  If it illegal for you to post online at your job, then don’t do it.  If your workplace forbids it, then don’t do it.  If your employer is cool with it, then just be respectful of the time you spend doing it.  It’s pretty simple.