WYCO Public Works Director’s Views Shock

Jeff Fisher is the director of Public Works for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS. He oversees 200 UG employees across six divisions. A military veteran who has worked in public service for more than two decades, Fisher is also a serial entrepreneur with multiple LLCs, including a lifestyle brand with his sons. 

Jeff goes by “Maynard” on his podcast and social media – to “honor his grandfather,” he says, but it’s more likely because he’d like to separate his persona in public service from statements like this one on one of his recent podcasts, where he talks about a potential US Civil War:

“These crazy ass people trying to change our country are delusional, and they’ve been getting away with it,” said Fisher. “I’m really curious how long we’re gonna let ‘em get away with it. As soon as we stop putting up with it and really get serious, these f… they have no idea what’s coming; we’re the ones with all the weapons. It’s gonna reach a point where we’re gonna stand up and say enough is enough and go to really dramatic lengths to stop it.” 

Fisher, appeared on this podcast with his son  — who was even more inflammatory — and a citizen brought it to the attention of local TV news. 

Jeff/Maynard didn’t back down, saying that people need to listen to the whole podcast and understand the concept of his podcast and brand, that he was talking about bad leadership in our country, and that he just loves freedom. 

Well, I listened to the podcast. 

I don’t recommend it unless you want insight into the grand conspiratorial thinking of the current conservative climate. The episode was tellingly titled “America is Breaking,” and here were the highlights of the views expressed: 

• The great replacement theory kicks things off, as in the Democrats are bringing in migrants to flip states. 
• Ukraine is a bunch of neo-nazis, and NATO needs to be dissolved.
• Biden is unfit; Jeff/Maynard says he’d never hire an 81-year-old at the UG.
• The CIA & FBI run the country despite who’s president.
• Biden would’ve been hung “in the old days.”
• There’s going to be a civil war, and “the sheep” don’t have guns.
• Putin made some good points in the Tucker Carlson interview.
• “Illegals” should “go back to where they came from” because they are ruining the country.

Fisher has the right to his views. No one is saying that you can’t have conservative views and do a good job in government. However, Fisher should answer to the public that he serves since he receives $181,000 a year in tax dollars. 

Two WYCO taxpayers asked him about his views at a recent government function. They said he should be ashamed and that his views were akin to those held by domestic terrorists storming the capital on Jan. 6. 

Those residents were run through the mud on the next episode of the podcast. They were  called “dumbasses” who should go back to school, never mind that the citizen in question is a well-educated former federal employee. A co-host even said, “In 1776, you’d be hung for calling Jeff Fisher a terrorist.” 

Fisher’s freedom-loving outdoors lifestyle brand (that I’ve intentionally not named) puts on a podcast (no free publicity here) that is now threatening residents of KCK. That is not acceptable.