Constituent service of a sort

Central Valley Rep. Devin Nunes’ attempt to punish those who deemed him a fake farmer has put him in the awkward position of suing a real one. Worse, retired fruit grower Paul Buxman is just one of four Nunes constituents who could be hauled into court by their own congressman.

Alleging a conspiracy to question his designation on last year’s ballot as a “U.S. representative/farmer,” Nunes’ lawsuit is the most recent in a series of dubious complaints lodged by the former House Intelligence Committee chairman and noted conspiracy theorist. Previous targets included the Fresno Bee, Twitter and a political strategist tweeting as “Devin Nunes’ Cow.”

The latest complaint’s innovation is to sic the Tulare Republican’s lawyers on rank-and-file voters whose chief offense was to disagree with him. As a political strategy of a man who just survived his closest call at the polls, it’s certainly unorthodox. But if Nunes loses more votes in the next election, he will have gained the vital agricultural experience of reaping what he sowed.

Josh Gohlke, deputy opinion editor