ST. CROIX COUNTY, Wis. — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video posted above is our original story posted on Monday, prior to the county chair's resignation.
The chairman of the St. Croix County Republican Party has resigned, following a controversial post on the party's website earlier in the week that read "If you want peace, prepare for war" in both English and Latin.
According to a statement released Friday by the Republican Party of St. Croix County, Wisconsin, the website "was created and posted by our Chairman, without consultation, review, or approval of the Executive Committee."
"We reject the language used and have taken down the website," the statement reads. "The resignation of the Chairman was requested and received."
County chair John Kraft did not return messages from KARE 11 when contacted about the website earlier in the week.
The post instructed readers, “It’s time to stand up and be counted as a conservative warrior," and called for the removal of local and county “leftist tyrants” in the upcoming April elections.
The St. Croix County GOP website appeared to be offline as of Friday afternoon.
State GOP officials were among those speaking out against the website language. In a written statement, Andrew Hitt, the Chairman of the Wisconsin Republican party, cited both last year's violence in Kenosha and last week's insurrection in Washington.
"Especially in light of recent events" he wrote" "it's an ill chosen phrase to express their sentiments.”
Hitt said the state party does not dictate what local parties do. But Hitt said the state GOP tried. “We suggested at an earlier date they remove this, but they declined to take our advice."
Read the full statement released Friday by the Republican Party of St. Croix County, Wisconsin below:
Recent attention has been directed to the content of the website of our County organization. The website was created and posted by our Chairman, without consultation, review, or approval of the Executive Committee. We reject the language used and have taken down the website. The resignation of the Chairman was requested and received.
While we remain committed to forthright discussion of political ideas and differences, that discussion must be within the confines of civil discourse, without the perception of intimidation, accusation or threats. We oppose violence as a method to achieve political goals.
We will continue to actively support the goals of the Republican Party and communicate them in a civil manner.
To survive and thrive as the Republic which our Founding Fathers created for us, all political parties have a civic duty and responsibility to conduct ourselves in a civil manner and to condemn all violence and actions that could be interpreted to condone the use of violence to achieve political ends. To maintain any credibility, ALL political parties should immediately join us in condemning the violence of the past year, ongoing violence and the incitement to it.