‘Shame on you.’ SLO County official faces criticism after comparing Democrats to Nazis
A San Luis Obispo County planning commissioner appointed by Supervisor Lynn Compton is facing criticism for sharing right-wing memes on Facebook likening Democrats to Nazis.
Jim Harrison, who Compton appointed to the county Planning Commission in January 2015 and was named Nipomo Citizen of the Year in 2019, shared two memes created by other Facebook users on his personal Facebook page.
The first meme, which Harrison shared on Dec. 11, showed a fake portrait of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a Nazi uniform with a “Minister of Propaganda” label.
The second meme, shared by Harrison on Dec. 19, shows an image a donkey adorned with a swastika and a caption that reads “The new logo for the Democratic Party. Socialism. Anti-America. Anti-Jews/Israel. Anti-2nd Amendment. Pro-Eugenics. Pro-Hate. Modern Day Nazi Party.”
The posts were deleted from Harrison’s Facebook page, which is available to view by the public, at about 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Harrison did not immediately respond to several requests for comment via phone email, and Facebook.
Compton did not immediately respond to text and voicemail messages seeking comment late Friday afternoon.
According to the county website, Harrison is a former Nipomo Community Services president and board member of the South County Advisory Council.
His online bio says he is retired from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, where he ended his career as the division chief in charge of the Operations Section.
Harrison’s Facebook page contains shares of numerous posts and memes stating far-right conservative viewpoints on topics ranging from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, President Donald Trump and the president’s impeachment.
Harrison also shared a meme promoting a discredited conspiracy theory allegedly quoting billionaire and well-known Democratic Party donor George Soros regarding funding “black hate groups.”
As of Friday, social media reactions from San Luis Obispo County residents have been unanimously negative.
“Shame on you,” Laurel Renz commented on one of Harrison’s Facebook shares.
“You truly are an offensive asshole,” Butch Boswell wrote on Harrison’s Facebook page.
“Nipomo Citizen of the Year? ... You do not represent the residents of Nipomo nor SLO county,” Sue Fox commented on Facebook. “Why would a government official post such a bigoted meme! Lynn Compton must not care! Disgusting.”
“Really unbelievable from a person serving in government,” Ginny Carr wrote on Facebook.
Compton and Harrison represent the 4th supervisoral district, which encompasses south San Luis Obispo County.
Planning commissioners are appointed to four-year terms. Compton re-appointed Harrison to a second four-year-term in 2019.
