Twitter boots Lansing political consultant over ‘abuse and harassment’

THURSDAY, Dec. 6 — The Lansing political consultant who stirred up controversy this year over sexually suggestive political mailers against former Mayor Virg Bernero and Councilwoman Kathie Dunbar was suspended from Twitter this week for apparent “abuse and harassment.”

Joe DiSano, owner of DiSano Strategies and the brainchild behind the 501(c)(4) nonprofit group Michigan Deserves Better, which distributed a series of political mailers this year in Lansing, said he was suspended from the social media platform this week aftering he responded to a Tweet with a reference to the death of Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporting disciple of QAnon, who was shot and killed by the Capitol Police officer during the insurrectionist riot in D.C. on Jan. 6.

“Fuck around? Eat a bullet. Seems fair,” DiSano (@JoeDisano) posted in response to a Nov. 18 tweet from Tom Fitton (@tomfitton), the president of the far-right national “Judicial Watch” blog.

Later that day, Twitter cracked down on DiSano for “violating our rules against abuse and harassment,” according to a message he received from the Twitter support team. DiSano was specifically warned that he “may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so” including “wishing or hoping that someone experiences physical harm.”

“I made a reference to Ashli Babbitt eating a bullet. Some GOPer said it was a threat. Professional victims these people are. I find it funny,” DiSano told City Pulse, noting that he found the suspension to be hysterical. “The context was clearly Babbitt but these insurrectionist snowflakes like to cry foul. They are always in their victims' crouch. I don’t take their bullshit.”

Twitter warned DiSano that it will suspend any new accounts that he creates to avoid the suspension of his @JoeDisano account. Still, he now appears to be using a backup account.

““Hate me? Fine. Just pay me,” DiSano added.

In September, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said he had nothing to do with the mudslinging mailers that DiSano crafted against Dunbar, who was running against Schor for mayor. Schor also went on to label DiSano’s work as “disgusting tactics that have no place in politics.”

DiSano has refused to identify donors of Michigan Deserves Better and told City Pulse in March that the sole purpose of the nonprofit group was to oppose former Bernero’s fledgling mayoral campaign. In addition to the attacks on Dunbar, the nonprofit outfit was also responsible for a series of full back-page advertisements (among others) in City Pulse that have labeled Bernero as “America’s Horniest Mayor.” After Bernero left the race, DiSano moved on to Dunbar.

One of those offensive mailers showed a photograph of Dunbar making a hand gesture in reference to oral sex, along with a message that labeled her a “failed comedian” and “failed politician.” It also referenced two unsubstantiated claims of sexual harassment against her.

Another mailer criticized Dunbar for her past stance on police divestment and prior support for a Council resolution that last year had aimed to halve the Police Department budget. Both of them included Dunbar’s personal cell phone number and urged residents to call her with concerns.

According to IRS guidelines, DiSano’s 501(c)(4) can promote “social welfare” as described in federal law but it cannot be used for direct  support or opposition to any candidate for public office. It can also engage in “some” political activity, as long as that is not its “primary” purpose.

In 2014, DiSano also signed a public apology for 2012 robocalls that allegedly accused Democratic state House candidate Phil DiMaria of taking “dirty pictures in his basement” and “using the internet to lure young girls into nude modeling sessions at his home,” MLive reports.

In 2017, DiSano faced more criticism for creating a mudslinging political mailer for 4th Ward City Council candidate Jim McClurken. That mailer included an image of six young men and women of different ethnicities and the phrase “Lansing’s criminals want Jim McClurken to lose.”

Some said the image was offensive, rife with stereotypes and served to monger fears over criminals in Lansing. Former McClurken staffer Emily Dievendorf resigned from the campaign over the incident. She said the mailer was created without her knowledge or authorization.