The Lackawanna County commissioners indefinitely suspended community relations manager Rick Notari without pay on Monday for a social media post wishing a would-be assassin's bullet struck former President Donald Trump on Saturday.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Notari reacted to a post by NFL Network host Rich Eisen. Eisen praised Secret Service agents who protected Trump, called for prosecuting the guilty and asked for prayers for everyone in Butler, where the attempt on Trump;'s life took place.
"It's a shame the guy missed," Notari wrote in reply.
The county provided a copy of the post, which has been deleted from X.
President Joe Biden and numerous other elected officials from both parties and leaders worldwide denounced the attack on Trump as he spoke at a rally in Butler in western Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed
Trump's upper right ear and bloodied him, but he survived, raised his fist and urged supporters to fight as Secret Service agents escorted him off the stage.
A government sniper shot and killed the would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, a nursing home dietary aide from Bethel Park, just south of Pittsburgh. Crooks fired multiple shots. Other shots killed Corey Comparatore, 50, a firefighter from Sarver, and seriously wounded David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Both are in stable condition, state police said.
Notari, also an Old Forge councilman, was hired to work for the county in March 2012. His salary is $54,308, a county spokesman said.
“Political violence is unacceptable and must be condemned," Commissioner Bill Gaughan said in a statement. "The attempt on President Trump’s life is a tragedy for the country, and we join President Biden and millions of other Americans in wishing President Trump a speedy and full recovery."
Commissioner Matt McGloin agreed.
“Lackawanna County’s government serves all of its residents regardless of their political affiliations,” McGloin said. “An attempt on a former president’s, and current presidential candidate’s life, is a time for the country to come together to condemn political violence, rather than deepen existing divisions through inappropriate commentary on social media.”
In an interview Monday, Commissioner Chris Chermak said Notari made "a big mistake" that was "totally inappropriate and ... shouldn't ever happen."
"We'll see what the decision will be after, " Chermak said. "He's a great guy. I know him very well. He's in an office right next to me."
Chermak, a Republican and a Trump supporter, said the country's extreme division must end.
"We have to come together. I work with all Democrats every day in my life. I get along with everybody, I'd have a job to do. And I represent everyone in Lackawanna County, not just Republicans," he said. "And I've proven that over the past five years. But everyone has to think that way. It can't just be me or a couple, you know, people on the Republican side and a couple people on the Democrat side we have our country was built on democracy and unity."
He called it a miracle "President Trump didn't get hit."
"I wouldn't wish that, I don't wish that on anybody Republican or Democrat," he said.
WVIA reporter Kat Bolus contributed to this story.
