On Saturday, Aberdeen Mayor Doug Orr posted on his personal Facebook page something that has wound him up in a metaphorical frying pan.
Here is Orr’s post, seen in a screenshot on Aberdeen City Council President Kacey Ann Morrison’s personal and council page:
“Sick how (politics) have (devolved),” Orr stated. “Ears bleed a lot. I hope they check to make sure it wasn’t just a self inflicted scratch. The shooter is dead so we will never know if it was staged. Not buying it quite yet. Anyway you look at it, it was a horrific act. Short of Biden (dying), this is about the only thing that could happen that would artificially gain Trump sympathy votes. I hope I’m wrong, but because of his record of deceit, that’s the first thing that came to mind.”
Two days after he made the comment, and then removed it, Orr drafted a letter of apology and sent it to the Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen police and fire chiefs, Dale Green and Dave Golding, Human Resources Director Dani Smith and Community Development Director Lisa Scott.
People were incensed about the comments he made in reference to what was reported as an assassination attempt on former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The incident was at a Trump rally.
Many saw it as a “disgusting” comment. Facebook commenters, including Kacey Ann Morrison, Aberdeen City Council president, and David Gakin, another Aberdeen city councilor, made online comments about Orr. There were many other comments from private residents.
Loss of life
Two people died. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, and a bystander — Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief from the area, according to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, died. According to the AP, Shapiro said Comperatore “died a hero.” The AP and several other national sources have reported Comperatore was shielding his family from shots fired.
As to how Crooks died, the Secret Service shot him dead, according to the Associated Press.
According to the AP, Crooks “first came to law enforcement’s attention at Saturday’s rally when spectators noticed him acting strangely outside the campaign event,” the AP said. “The tip sparked a frantic search but officers were unable to find him before he managed to get on a roof, where he opened fire.”
Social media comments
Morrison made a post on her personal Facebook page Sunday morning that stated such a post is “unbecoming of a sitting mayor.” She also wants Orr to resign.
“I present to you again: ABERDEEN MAYOR DOUG ORR,” Morrison wrote. “His vile hate and complete disregard for the senseless violence and loss of life that occurred yesterday is unbecoming of a sitting mayor and is representative of a crazed, lunatic fringe segment of the population in this country. Inappropriate, heartless, and inconceivably disgusting … and the spelling and grammar. After several hours he decided to remove this post. In 2024, screenshots last forever. Sir, you cannot just sweep this under the rug. The citizens have spoken and are righteously furious. Resign.”
Gakin commented on the post as well:
“What a cold, unnecessary, sh-tty thing to suggest, bad form, dirty pool, shame on you!” Gakin said.
Orr’s apology
This is Orr’s apology, in full:
“On July 13th, I posted on my personal Facebook page regarding the apparent assassination attempt on former President Trump,” Orr said. “Based on Trump’s record of lying and the video I saw, I questioned whether this was just another, more elaborate, deception to increase voter sympathy. It was a knee-jerk post made in haste and after some reflection, I removed the post. Unfortunately, several people made screenshots and forwarded it.”
“I’m not proud of my first reaction,” Orr said, before he continued to speak on his post.
“It was insensitive of me to make that kind of remark at that time,” Orr said. “Instead, I should have focused my attention on the victims and their friends and family who will be forever changed by that horrific event. To the victims, I send my heartfelt condolences. Your feelings of being unsafe in public will haunt you forever. No one should ever have to be subjected to so much fear, uncertainty in their lives.”
Orr’s statement continued on the “wide division” the country is experiencing, politically.
“This senseless tragedy shines a spotlight on the wide division that we now see in our nation,” Orr said. “The fact that I felt what I did when I saw the news after the shooting also speaks to the never-ending string of venom and hate coming from the extremists in both political parties and their ardent followers on social media.”
Orr continued his statement with a prayer “that we learn from the tragedy and at least make an effort to come together as a unified nation.”
“The division we now see stems from efforts on both inside and outside of our nation to divide us and create strife,” Orr said. “Sadly, I fell into that trap and spoke without sensitivity, and at that point I become part of the problem. I made a mistake and I took steps to correct it. I’m certain that many of you have posted something in anger or in error that you later regretted. ‘To err is human, to forgive is divine.’”
Orr then spoke of how serving the city as its mayor is new to him. Orr was elected in November 2023, and he has served since Jan. 1. He apologized again.
“I ask for your forgiveness, and I most sincerely apologize to my community,” Orr said. “I will do better as your mayor moving forward. I understand and will make every effort to represent all of the citizens in my community. And I vow to renew my efforts to remain positive, work with all sides to find middle ground, and take steps to improve our city. With my most sincere and humble apologies.”
In an emailed reply to Orr’s letter of apology, Riley Carter, an Aberdeen city councilor, thanked Orr for the “kind words” and then raised a question about why Orr apologized.
“My question, would this letter exist had you not gotten caught?” Carter said. “Because previous actions and statements committed by you in front of the public say otherwise, Thank you, Riley.”
A little bit from a radio show
On Sunday, Orr talked with Jason Rantz, host of “The Jason Rantz Show” on AM KTTH 770. The station is “conservative talk radio” out of Seattle.
According to Rantz, Orr “deleted the post, though only because he thought ‘the people’s replies were getting out of line.’”
“‘I respectfully have the right to say what was my gut feeling,’” Orr said. “‘I don’t believe that people have the right to intimidate me or disrespect me for my respectful comment.’”
During the interview with Rantz, Orr spoke of the people who commented strongly against his original Facebook post.
“They’re acting like it’s a bad thing that I even would think such a thing,” Orr said. “I only thought that because of the history of Trump lying and grandstanding and not being very honest.”
According to the show, Orr also said when he saw the video of Trump “grabbing his ear after being shot, it didn’t look genuine.”
“‘The whole way he did it, just made it seem like it wasn’t exactly real,” Orr explained, according to Rantz.
While Orr didn’t question there were shots fired during Trump’s presidential rally, he didn’t “think that it was actually fired at (Trump).”
Mayor responds Monday
Orr spoke about what led to the post.
“I didn’t make the comment until after I saw one particular news broadcast that showed Mr. Trump reaching for his ear and then rubbing his fingers together as though he was dropping something,” Orr said. “Later I saw that comments were pointing out my insensitivity, so I removed the post. I don’t exactly remember when I went on Facebook again, but I removed it then.”
Orr explained why he removed the post.
“I deleted the post because I felt that I, as the mayor, should have stayed neutral and that it was more important to send condolences to those who were hurt and (to) their families and friends,” Orr said. “I just suggested that it be looked into. There is no way for me to know what actually happened. Mr. Trump has a habit of being untruthful, so I made a suggestion that it be looked into. You can look at my social media, Facebook page, I don’t usually post political or negative stuff.”
Orr’s comments continued, noting what he’ll do as his mayorship continues.
“All I can do is apologize and continue to work towards making our city a better place to live and work,” Orr said. “Also, I will continue to strive to stay away from social media.”
But, Orr also pointed out there have been people from the start who have never liked him and have wanted them out of office ever since he took office in January.
“I realize that some folks in our city have been waiting and looking for any reason to paint me in a bad light so that they could try to remove me from office,” Orr said. “I wish that they would spend as much time trying to make our city better and less divided, but I honestly don’t believe that is their agenda.”
Orr also addressed the calls on Facebook for him to resign.
“As for the ‘recall the mayor signature petition’ now circulating, that is certainly within their right to do so,” Orr said. “I know that I have broken no laws and have been working hard for our city. I messed up with a Facebook post and I’m the first one to admit it. I will learn from this mistake and keep trying to do what I was elected to do and make our city a better place.”
White House’s comment on the shooting
President Joe Biden addressed the nation after the assassination attempt, when he “urged the public to recommit to civil debate,” the AP reported.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence,. Ever. Period. No exception,” Biden said. “We can’t allow this violence to be normalized.”
