Indiana Deputy Prosecutor Fired Over Controversial Anti-Trump Social Media Posts
An Indiana deputy prosecutor has been dismissed after sharing controversial social media posts expressing disdain for Donald Trump supporters. Jordan Stroh, a former deputy prosecutor for Hancock County, was terminated for comments on Facebook that District Attorney Brent Eaton said undermined her impartiality and tarnished public trust in the prosecutor’s office.
In a Facebook post following the recent election, Stroh wrote, “If you voted for Trump, please unfriend me. You disgust me and clearly don’t respect me or other human beings.” Additionally, Stroh shared a post from the Relegalize Indiana PAC’s page containing a quote from author A.R. Moxon that Eaton said equated Trump voters to Nazis.
Eaton detailed his decision in a termination letter obtained by local media, emphasizing that Stroh’s posts called into question her ability to serve as a fair and impartial prosecutor. “You are charged with being a minister of justice,” Eaton wrote. “The decisions you made to post content to your social media page call into question your ability to be a fair and impartial minister of justice equitably to all that you serve in this community.”
Stroh, who spoke to the Indianapolis Star while on her honeymoon, argued that her posts were personal opinions directed at people in her private life and had no bearing on her professional duties. “At no point did my personal opinions prevent me from being fair and impartial in the execution of my duties,” Stroh stated, adding that her posts were made on a private Facebook page with no public connection to the prosecutor’s office.
Eaton, however, pointed out that he launched a review of Stroh’s social media after receiving multiple complaints, including concerns from county staff. He stated that public trust in the prosecutor’s office is paramount and that Stroh’s posts undermined that trust.
“HCPO can only be successful if we have public trust,” Eaton wrote. “It is critical that all people firmly know that, no matter their political preferences, HCPO will always interact and serve them with respect.”
Eaton also highlighted concerns raised by law enforcement officials over Stroh’s comparison of Trump supporters to Nazis. “How many times can you refer to large swaths of people as Nazis? I think the answer should be zero,” he said.
While Stroh could not be reached for additional comments, her dismissal has sparked a broader conversation about the intersection of personal opinions and professional roles in public service.