Former Republican representative Devin Nunes has been trolled by a local paper in Fresno, California, following his departure from Congress.

       Mr Nunes, who left his seat on Saturday, had announced in December that he had been appointed to head Donald Trump’s emergent tech firm and social media platform, Truth Social.

       On Monday, The Fresno Bee took to ridiculing the outgoing representative after nearly two decades of serving California’s 22nd Congressional District.

       His time in the position has seen a number of controversies, including the creation of a social media page widely known as “Devin Nunes’s Cow”, and which he unsuccessfully tried to sue for defamation.

       Mr Nunes, according to The Bee, “decided to leave Congress rather than face a tough re-election prospect in a newly drawn district that’s much more favourable to a Democrat than a Republican.”

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       It also outlined “key qualification” for the Republican’s successor, including meeting with citizens, telling the truth, and being willing to appear on news channels that were not Fox News.

       “The last record The Bee has of Nunes meeting with constituents in a typical town hall came in 2009,” the local paper alleged. “In recent years, he would only gather with specific like-minded interest groups or in fundraising events that bore a hefty admission.”

       “Similarly, the new representative should have the courage to face the press,” the local paper added, while claiming that he “refused to engage with reporters from news outlets like The Bee who might ask probing questions.”

       The Republican, who will now have power over Mr Trump’s emerging social media network, was described in December as somebody who “understands that we must stop the liberal media and Big Tech from destroying the freedoms that make America great.”

       The press release added that “America is ready for TRUTH Social and the end to censorship and political discrimination,” although no further updates about the venue have been made.

       An election will be held later this year to fill the vacant House seat left by Mr Nunes, and whom The Bee finished by saying “had morphed into being a leading foot soldier for Trump, defending the president at every turn in countless Fox News appearances”.

       The Independent has approached Mr Nunes for comment.