Kirk Bangstad’s response

On Oct. 13, 2020, Kirk Bangstad, the Democratic candidate for Wisconsin’s 34th Assembly District in the Nov. 3 election, was contacted by this reporter via email letting him know of the opportunity to answer questions with those answers to be published in the Oct. 30 edition of The Lakeland Times along with those of his opponent, Republican Rob Swearingen, the incumbent. 

“I only give interviews to real newspapers not yellow journalists,” was Bangstad’s response and he continued.

“If I were you Brian, I’d find a real newspaper to work for. Your reputation and your career have no future with your current employer.”

I then offered Bangstad another opportunity. 

“All that said, let’s get to what’s really important here — the Nov. 3 election,” I wrote. “I’d like to extend to you once more the opportunity to have your positions on the various issues facing the Northwoods and Wisconsin in general and how and what you would do if elected to address those issues and help make some changes published prior to the election. In the absence of your ‘candidate profile,’ we’ll publish the two sentence response you sent me yesterday instead. Thanks again.”

Bangstad didn’t respond to that.  

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].