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Dozens of speakers urge Allegheny County Council president to resign over campaign mailer
Summary
A lengthy public-comment period at the Allegheny County Council meeting featured dozens of speakers, including ACT UP Pittsburgh and local party groups, who said a campaign mailer from the council president’s campaign used transphobic talking points and called on President Katina to resign or be removed; council members discussed procedure for reorganization but did not remove him at the meeting.
Dozens of public commenters at the Allegheny County Council meeting accused the council president’s campaign of circulating a transphobic mailer and urged the council president to resign.
Speakers representing ACT UP Pittsburgh, the Young Democrats of Allegheny County, Steel City Stonewall Democrats and local residents described the mailer as intentionally harmful to transgender residents and youth and demanded immediate accountability. Bee Claymeier of ACT UP Pittsburgh said, “We demand your immediate resignation from Allegheny County Council,” and Jill Ratliff, also of ACT UP Pittsburgh, told the council to “step down from the race for House 45 … and to resign immediately from his position as Allegheny County Council president.” Corey Roma, political director of the Young Democrats of Allegheny County, said the organization had “lost confidence in mister Katina's leadership” and called for him to step down or be removed.
Other commenters recounted personal impacts and safety concerns for transgender youth. Ian Price, president of the Steel City Stonewall Democrats, said voters had received mailers sent by the council president’s campaign (commenters used varying spellings of the name in their remarks) and urged a public repudiation. Several speakers cited increases in anti-trans violence and reduced access to affirming care as reasons the mailer was dangerous rhetoric. A pediatrician, Dr. Scott Tyson, said, “This was ******** what you did. These kids are at terrible risk,” and other residents and organizers echoed calls for stronger accountability and for council members to act.
Procedural steps and next actions: A council member moved to call a vote that night to elect a new council president; a second was recorded. The county solicitor advised that the process for reorganizing the council is governed by council rules and the Sunshine Act and may require that the matter be put on a subsequent meeting agenda; council members agreed to take up the matter at the next meeting in two weeks. The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn carried.
The meeting record contains repeated references to the mailer and multiple direct demands that the council president resign. The transcript records commenters using different spellings when naming the council president; the council record itself refers to the president as President Katina.
