close

Peters school director disavows Facebook posts but acknowledges tweets

4 min read
article image -

A Peters Township school director who is running for re-election said his Facebook page was hacked two years ago and blames political enemies for reposting hacked material.

The posts included “10 things that would instantly happen if all Negroes left America”; a cartoon character stating, “Live, laugh, love. If that doesn’t work, load, aim, fire”; and a vintage photo of a father figure pointing with a boy at his side bearing the caption, “An angry, purple-haired woman dressed as a vagina is here to lecture us on human dignity.”

William Merrell, 68, of Venetia, who was Washington County Republican Party chairman in 2013 and part of 2014, said he has angered both party members and constituents several times over the years and believes the hacked Facebook posts, which have again been deleted, were republished as a form of political retaliation.

“We are aware of the very concerning allegations regarding the Facebook post,” according to a statement issued by Peters Township School District. “Those comments in no way reflect the values of the Peters Township School District. We are looking into these allegations, as they do not reflect the character of our district or our community.”

Merrell, who is vice chairman of the school board policy committee, said Thursday, “If I’m racist, I’m the worst racist in the whole world.”

During part of his 20-year Air Force career, Merrell said he “was in charge of Black History Month on the base” and that he has rented a home in Virginia to two African-American families.

“I doubt if anyone would say I’d ever said a racist thing,” he continued. “All I care about is a person.”

Merrell, a former teacher in the Chartiers Valley School District, hosts two programs on Peters Township Community Television that air on cable channels: “Things They Usually Don’t Teach You” and “Talking Politics in Western Pennsylvania.”

On the latter, he interviewed Jason White, who is seeking a Republican nomination for Washington County commissioner. It first aired last week.

“After that happened, suddenly everything started coming out,” Merrell said.

“I thought he should at least be given a platform to be heard. This is to teach me a lesson that I’m up against the Washington County Republican group.”

Merrell connected the initial hack of his Facebook page to his unsuccessful write-in candidacy in 2017 for magistrate and his support of Jesse Pettit, a Democrat who ran as an independent, defeating Jacob Machel, a Republican who cross-filed.

Six years ago, when Democrats Valarie Costanzo and Michael Lucas each won both nominations for Washington County judge in the May primary, he wrote to Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, asking him to immediately appoint them to the bench.

“I asked for that, and they got mad at me,” Merrell said of his fellow GOP members. “I supported two Democrats for school board and that is coming back to haunt me.”

Merrell said he has also fallen out of favor with the community swim club because he favors a pool that could be used year-round at the former Rolling Hills Country Club property as part of a public-private partnership. A year ago, he voted against including a pool in the initial construction phase of the new high school.

Caitlin Bell, a McMurray resident since 2011, said she considers the posts “grotesque” but she’d believe Merrell if an investigation proved his account was hacked.

“It’s important to know who you’re electing,” said Bell, who has siblings in the Peters schools.

Merrell did, however, acknowledge posts in his Twitter account, last active in February, when he implored, “IMPEACH RASHIDA TLAIB, sign the petition.” Tlaib, a Muslim who represents part of Detroit and its suburbs in Congress, has attracted the ire of many on the right due to statements she has made about Israel and Palestine.

In January 2018, he referred to U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer as “brain dead.”

In November 2017, he wrote, “Who gives a if she is mixed race as long as she is a good person. I hate to see the racists who peg everything to race … you are the problem.” It is unclear to whom he was referring.

It was also unclear to whom the Twitter account was referring in June of last year with this post: “but the skank does not care about the 500,000 LEGAL children being KILLED by planned parenthood every year. But for those children that were illegally brought here, under obama, used as sex slaves becasue (sic) they were not protected was OK. I REALLY DISLIKE THESE LIBERAL P.O.S.”

“I did use language in my accounts from time to time that would offend some people from time to time,” Merrell said. “I probably have used very colorful language from time to time.”

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today