Nebraska Professor Charged with Vandalism, but It’s Not the First Time

Patricia Wonch-Hill is an assistant sociology professor at the University of Nebraska’s flagship campus in Lincoln, Nebraska. She has been recently cited for vandalism of a U.S. Senator’s office and political campaign signs for a congressman. Wonch-Hill vandalized U.S. Senator Deb Fischer’s office and vandalized a campaign sign for Congressman Jeff Fortenberry. Both Fischer and Fortenberry are Republican lawmakers who won in the 2018 midterm elections.

Wonch-Hill was officially charged this week and allegedly committed the vandalism acts on October 21, 2018. The Lincoln Police cited her for three counts of vandalism. Fingerprinting analysis found Wonch-Hill’s fingerprints at the senator’s office.

Wonch-Hill also allegedly placed ‘googly’ eyes on a sign that promoted the campaign of Fortenberry. The eyes were placed where Fortenberry’s eyes would be, and it is vandalism because the campaign sign is private property and the defacing of it is vandalism under law.

Regarding Betsy Riot stickers, the stickers are full of curse words and vulgarities directed at Republicans and President Donald Trump. Upon searching the stickers by name, and clicking on the website, one can find photos of stickers that say, “Betsy Riot,” or “Fetus Fetish” (which apparently denigrates pro-life supporters), or “F*** your guns.”

Previously, Wonch-Hill was charged with misdemeanor property destruction when she doused a chief lobbyist’s home with fake blood in Alexandria, Virginia. The lobbyist, Chris Cox, works for the National Rifle Association (NRA) and he said it scared his children who were at home when the home was doused with fake blood by Wonch-Hill. She had poured fake blood outside the Cox home in October 2017, and the second time was in January 2018.

At the same time, two other college professors have protested outside the lobbyist’s home and his wife’s business, as well. Amanda Gailey, a colleague of Hill’s in Nebraska, and Catherine Koebel, who works at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, protested outside the Cox’s home and outside of Cox’s wife’s business.

According to Hill’s profile at the University of Nebraska, her academic research focuses on increasing STEM awareness and participation in K-12 in Nebraska.

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