Arnold mayor apologizes for slamming Antwon Rose protestors on Facebook
Arnold's mayor has apologized for suggesting on social media that people protesting the police shooting of Antwon Rose should be sprayed with powerful water cannons.
After numerous attempts made by the Tribune-Review to reach Mayor Karen Peconi on Tuesday, she issued a statement via e-mail just after 1 a.m. Wednesday.
"I love this community," Peconi wrote. "I would do anything for the people here. I don't take my position as Mayor lightly and deeply regret the comments I made on Facebook. It was never my intention to offend anyone, and for those who I offended I am sincerely sorry."
Peconi recently shared a video on her Facebook page of water cannons being used to disperse protesters elsewhere. Some are violently knocked to the ground by the force of the water.
"We need one of these for tomorrow," she wrote in a comment beneath the video.
Later she wrote "bring the hoses" and disparaged people protesting in the morning.
"None of them work. That's how they can do this at 7 a.m. ... Very sad," Peconi wrote.
Her Facebook page has since been deleted. The door to her office at city hall was closed when a Tribune-Review reporter stopped there twice Tuesday morning, and staffers said they hadn't seen her. No one answered the door at her home, and she didn't return calls.
The mayor serves as one of the city's five council members. Three other members — Joseph Bia, Philip McKinley and Deborah Vernon — on Tuesday said they were disappointed in Peconi.
Anthony "Butch" Sgalio, an Arnold councilman, on Wednesday said the posts were "a surprise to all of us."
"Being with these people all these years, that's none of our views at all," he said.
Bia, on Tuesday, called on Peconi to resign as mayor, saying her Facebook comments were a "huge negative mark on our city."
Vernon, although not calling outright for Peconi's resignation, said an apology was not sufficient.
"My feeling is this: That's part of the problem with social media. Once it's out there, it's out there and it's not going away, and this apology after something like that is out there for perpetuity; it's kind of like closing the barn door after the cow already gets out of the barn."
Said she doesn't think the apology is enough and Peconi has to do something more.
"I have no right to say what she should do, but I think that she should look at her feelings and her actions and let that be her guide. The turmoil and strife that she's causing this city is … I don't see how that's reparable without going a step further."
The comments from Bia and Vernon are especially stinging since both ran for council on platforms of cooperating with Peconi and are seen as the mayor's closest politcal allies on council.
The apology didn't sit well with McKinley.
"I found it very offensive to all of the people of our town. She offended the entire area. A mayor should be held to a higher standard. Time will tell if the residents of Arnold think her apology is enough for cynical statements."
Ellyse Williams, a New Kensington-Arnold School District board member, said she was "deeply saddened" by Peconi's comments, and shared her opinions in a Tuesday Facebook post.
"I know Karen. I grew up just doors down from her almost all of my life," she wrote, in part. "I've played with her children and our block has been a diverse block throughout the years.
"So when I read her comments, I was deeply saddened because on that block we have seen people lose jobs and experience hardship in their lives. We have always been supportive of one another, including being supportive of her."
Madasyn Czebiniak and Mary Ann Thomas are Tribune-Review staff writers.
