Richland Council Candidate Says Unvaccinated Should be Denied Care

A woman running for Richland City Council Position 4 is seeing backlash from area residents over comments she posted on social media pages.

Ginger Wireman, a longtime Richland resident, is listed in the Benton County Voter's Pamphlet for the non-partisan position.

WHAT DID SHE SAY THAT HAS PEOPLE SHOCKED?

Wireman made the following remarks in reference to an apparent social media post about an unvaccinated person who had become extremely ill from COVID:

"...they should send her sorry butt home to die."  

This is a screenshot of the comment, the person she tagged has been blacked out for privacy.

The conversation continued, where Wireman perhaps softened her comment a but, but she reiterated her stance on unvaccinated persons with this remark:

 "I'm not sorry I wrote that, BTW,  and I recognize that it's risky lest someone screen shot and expose me. But seriously their behavior is unacceptable, they should be denied service."  

A screen shot of that comment is below.

She also posted a scathing review of Richland Superintendent Dr. Shelly Redinger's comments in a KEPR-TV news story four months ago. The post included profanity, and was in response to Redinger telling the TV station she fears a vaccine mandate will cause teachers to leave the District.  The profanity has been shortened here:

 "Are you f-ing kidding me? Good riddance! I don't want these irrational idealogues near any of our children! Reddinger has to go!"

Here is a screenshot of her post on the KEPR story.

A series of apologies have been posted on her Campaign Facebook page, in which she acknowledges the impact these posts had on citizens. She references her role as an admin on the Flatten the Curve Tri-Cities page (FTC).  Founded in 2020 it was initially a sincere and honest effort to bond area residents in the 'fight' against COVID (remember the 14 days to Flatten the Curve?) However, its tone rapidly changed last fall.

The page takes a clear stand on the side of the state and all COVID mandates, with some members even going so far as to admit in posts they went out looking for businesses they felt were violating state mandates.

It is not known what effect this will have on her campaign. No polling data is available at the local City Council level.