Cara Rogan announces she will not resign as a Coolbaugh Township supervisor after a video goes viral of her yelling and cursing at a woman waiting to pick up medication at a CVS.
Amiellya Broxton, a Coolbaugh Township resident, filmed Rogan in self-defense, she said in the video posted to TikTok on Feb. 28.
WVIA reached out to Broxton for comment and have not heard back.
*See censored video below. The original contains several expletives, which have been bleeped out here.
At the Board of Supervisors' meeting on Tuesday, Mar. 18, Rogan restated her apology to Broxton.
"I apologize first of all to the young lady that was involved, despite the fact there was a medical emergency that day. My mother had me stressed out, but that shouldn't have happened ... I apologize to the people of Coolbaugh Township. They certainly were made to look foolish in that moment, as well as this board ... I certainly support and understand [the board's] decision to remove me as vice chair."
The Board of Supervisors voted to strip Rogan of her position as Vice Chair and barred her from participating in all committees and councils on Tuesday, Mar. 4. Alma Ruiz-Smith was chosen to serve as the new vice chair. Rogan was absent from that meeting.
That night, the township announced over Savvy Citizen that the Municipal Center and the Department of Public Works would be closed “until further notice…due to the high level of threats made to township staff in response to recent viral events.”
The municipal office was closed for a total of four days, according to Chairman William Weimer.
Weimer spoke somberly about Rogan's conduct before tonight's meeting.
"It's an unfortunate event, and nothing that the board feels, well, represents what we are. And unfortunately, something did happen, and we took what actions were appropriate and allowed by law [against Rogan,]" said Weimer.
Residents at Tuesday's meeting asked whether Rogan would personally refund Pocono Mountain Regional Police for costs incurred by officers working overtime when the township received the threats requiring it to close.
Rogan responded that she would not pay any overtime fees as she said the board pays local police $4 million a year to keep them safe.
A few residents responded that Rogan should pay officers as they said the situation was "all her fault."
Rogan yelled at residents that the board called for police protection because of "transphobic bigots."
In thousands of comments on the original video and copies, people bash Rogan, an openly transgender woman, for her appearance. Many comments use her deadname as an insult — her name before she transitioned — and call her a man.
Sen. Rosemary Brown: 'take responsibility and resign immediately'
Broxton's original video has nearly 42,000 comments on TikTok. Thousands call for her resignation, and state that her behavior was "unacceptable" from an elected official.
There is no law in Pennsylvania that allows a township board to force a supervisor to resign or impeach them, according to Coolbaugh Township Solicitor Patrick Armstrong.
Sen. Rosemary Brown (R-Tobyhanna) said in a statement Rogan should resign from her position out of "respect" for her community.
“I am deeply disturbed by the actions and behavior of Cara Rogan. No individual should conduct themselves in such a manner, let alone an elected public official who is entrusted with serving their community with integrity and respect. Public service demands accountability and ethical conduct, and anything less undermines the trust of the people we serve," said Brown in an emailed statement. "I strongly urge Cara Rogan to take responsibility and resign immediately. The people of Coolbaugh Township deserve leadership that upholds the highest standards of integrity.”
A resident asked Rogan at tonight's meeting if she planned to follow Brown's request for her resignation.
Rogan said, "no."
Supervisors also debated a resolution that would require township representatives to not wear anything that bears Coolbaugh insignia if not working in an official capacity.
Newly appointed Vice Chair Ruiz-Smith criticized the resolution and questioned if it would be fair to make employees change their clothes if they left the office.
People recognized Rogan in the video because she was wearing a sweatshirt with Coolbaugh's insignia.
The vote was tabled to the board's next meeting on Apr. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Coolbaugh Township's Municipal Building at 5520 Municipal Drive, Tobyhanna, Monroe County.
