Arnold mayor responding to efforts to remove her from office over social media post

ARNOLD, Pa. — A Westmoreland County mayor is defending herself over a controversial Facebook post.

Arnold's mayor suggested supporters of Antwon Rose, the teen killed by an East Pittsburgh police officer, should be hit with water cannons.

She apologized, but city leaders are trying to remove her from office.

Her attorney told Channel 11 her comments have been blown way out of proportion, that she never intended to offend anyone and was only trying to defend police.

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"She's never once ever posted a racist comment ever on Facebook," said Sean Logue, Karen Peconi's attorney. "She's taken responsibility for her speech not being the best that it could possibly be."

According to Logue, Peconi has family members who are police officers and she was attempting to defend them.

"All she was saying is anybody that would call the police murderers or thugs or commit acts of violence in furtherance of a protest, those are things she's against, " Logue said. "Now she's being attacked for it. We believe that's unpatriotic, that its un-American and it's unconstitutional the actions that council is asking them to do."

Council members sent a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf and Legislature, asking them to remove Peconi.

Logue sent a response to that, claiming it would disenfranchise voters who elected her.

"This whole thing was done for political reasons because there are people on council who don't like her. It's as simple as that so now they've jumped on a controversy. They've blown this thing up," Logue said.

Despite protests and repeated calls for her resignation, Logue says she's not going anywhere.

"She will not resign. She loves her job, she's passionate about the city of Arnold. She wants to help those people," Logue said. Peconi is in her second term as mayor and Logue said an election is the only way to get rid of her.

Cox Media Group