State Representative Shae Sortwell (R-Gibson). (IMAGE: Courtesy of Wisconsin State Legislature)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — De Pere Republican State Senator Andre Jacque remains in the hospital, battling COVID-19 induced pneumonia.
Representative Shae Sortwell (R-Gibson) put out a message asking for prayers for Jacque on Facebook.
“He is needing additional care…so I thought it would be good to put that out there and pray for him,” Sortwell told WTAQ on Tuesday.
He says most of the responses to Jacque’s condition have been positive, wishing the senator well.
“There are a lot of people I know that were very supportive of Andre,” said Sortwell. “Even people who maybe don’t align with us politically.”
However, that wasn’t always the case.
“God must have a reason for punishing Andre,” said one commenter.
“Prayers won’t help you should’ve listen to science,” said another.
“Oh no, an anti-vax covid conspiracy monger is reaping & sewing. I mean I hope he doesn’t die but this is entirely of his own doing,” said yet another.
“Lord Satan, Lord of anti-science and antimasker/antivaxxer abortionists, Take this soul as Yours and cast him into the Cold Hells, as He did to the grandmas, grandpas, Moms, dads and children whose lives he helped COLDLY abort.”
Sortwell says those sorts of comments say more about the people writing them than they do about anyone else.
“They’re just vile human beings, wishing harm on someone who is suffering right now,” said Sortwell. “It says something about those individuals that they can’t see past politics when there is someone that’s suffering. You should respond accordingly. You can have compassion for someone regardless of their politics.”
Sortwell also took aim at a Democratic Party fundraising email that alluded to Jacque’s condition.
“I really didn’t like when I saw that,” said Sortwell. “I think it’s pretty despicable.”
Jacque has been previously critical of mask and vaccine mandates.
Jacque’s office hasn’t issued an update to his condition.
