California Prosecutor Who Questioned Why Maxine Waters Hadn't Been Shot Suspended By San Bernardino DA

Michael Selyem, a San Bernardino County, California, deputy district attorney, was suspended by the DA's office Monday in the wake of intense backlash over his recently unearthed social media posts.

Mike Ramos, the San Bernardino County DA, said in a statement Monday that Selyem will be placed on administrative leave while an investigation into his actions takes place, according to KABC-TV.

"The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office does not condone hate, discrimination or incitement of violence," Ramos said in a statement posted Monday afternoon. "Our community and the entire criminal justice system depends on having fair, ethical, and unbiased prosecutors."

The investigation could lead to "disciplinary action leading up to termination," according to Ramos.

Selyem came under fire after his Facebook and Instagram posts, which included one post where he openly wondered why "ghetto" Maxine Waters hadn't been shot, were first reported by the San Bernardino Sun last week.

"Being a loud-mouthed c*** in the ghetto you would think someone would have shot this bitch by now," he commented on a video of U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) last month. Selyem also called the victim of a police shooting a "shitbag" who "got exactly what he deserved."

"You reap what you sow," he said. "And by the way go fuck yourself you liberal shitbag."

The Sun also reported that other posts from Selyem included a photo of a Mexican man in a sombrero with the caption "Mexican word of the day: Hide" and a doctored photo of former first lady Michelle Obama holding a sign that said, "Trump grabbed my penis."

Selyem's posts drew intense criticism ahead of Monday afternoon's press conference. "Racist, bigoted, sexist Deputy DA Michael Selyem MUST be fired after his vulgar death threat against Congresswoman Maxine Waters," activist Shaun King posted on Twitter Monday.

"I don't want my taxpayer dollars to be used to pay for the salary of Michael Selyem," another user posted.

Selyem did not respond to Newsweek's repeated requests for comment.

Before he was placed on administrative leave, Selyem had served since 2006 as the lead attorney for the San Bernardino Central Hardcore Gang Unit, according to his LinkedIn page. In this role, Selyem oversaw the response to a rising gang presence in San Bernardino County.

"Close to half" of homicides in the county had a "gang-related element," Mike Madden, a spokesman for the San Bernardino Police Department, told The Sun in 2016.