Austin TV News Producer Goes Crazypants Trolling GOP Lt Gov Candidate

KEYE-TV news in Austin, TX may have a personnel issue on its hands. One of its news producers went on a crazy little rant on Twitter during work hours today. That news producer is Caleb Pritchard, aka C. Alan Pritchardo on Twitter.

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, running for lieutenant governor, recently produced an ad praising his grandfather’s military service. Patterson’s grandfather, like literally a million or more southern men of his era, fought on the Confederate side of the Civil War.

Most American family trees that go back that far include ancestors on both sides of that war. It was brother against brother and all that. My own family tree includes soldiers who fought for the North and the South.

The fact that Patterson’s ancestor fought for the South in the Civil War sparked this series of bizarre tweets during work hours by the local news producer who unearthed the very unburied not-so family secret, Caleb Pritchard of KEYE-TV.

Also, @Patterson4TX praises his great grandfather in a new ad. Just confirmed grampa was a Condederate soldier. http://t.co/nCVWXxC9Ko

— C. Alan Pritchardo (@cubbie9000) November 4, 2013

Just asked @Patterson4TX what he'd say to anyone offended by his praise of Confederate grampa: "Tough shit."

— C. Alan Pritchardo (@cubbie9000) November 4, 2013

I’m not sure whether Patterson really gave Pritchard that answer, or Pritchard made it up. I’m hoping that it’s real, because it’s awesome in a Most Interesting Man In The World sort of way.

@wsbyerly @cd_hooks @Patterson4TX Jerry Patterson's grampa's job was killing American troops. Why don't you #SupportTheTroops?

— C. Alan Pritchardo (@cubbie9000) November 4, 2013

That’s a ridiculous, spastic attack on Patterson, who is a former Marine who volunteered to fight in Vietnam. He’s hardly someone who deserves assault from KEYE’s self-described “agnostofascist” news producer. By the way, KEYE, did y’all know that there’s a fascist running loose in your building? While y’all have your “eye on Austin,” you want to keep on eye on that guy too. Fascists are trouble.

If newsman Pritchard really wants to stir the pot in Texas politics, he should call up the Texas Democratic Party and ask them two questions. 1 — Which side was their party on during the Civil War? 2 — What are these “white primaries” that some people keep talking about?

Update: On Twitter, Pritchard says that Patterson’s response above is real. That should earn him a point or two in the polls.