Bernville, Pennsylvania Mayor Shawn Raup-Konsavage (D) is facing severe backlash after he posted on social media that he is “glad” Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is dead. His comment read, “This is what MAGA represents, This is what Trump lowered flags for. If this represents you then I don’t want to hear that you are offended that I’m glad he is gone.”
This post comes just over a year after another incendiary remark from the mayor. Following the July 2024 attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Raup-Konsavage wrote on Facebook, “Try harder.”
The inflammatory nature of the mayor’s comments has reignited controversy in the small Berks County town. Local resident Mark Rodriguez noted, “That Trump post that he had posted, there was a lot of controversy with that in this town, a lot of hatred towards him after that.”
“Me, I really don’t care honestly,” Rodriguez added. “But it’s sad when everybody judges this man based on his opinion. He’s done great things for this town; he’s helped a lot and with all this going on it seems like he just shelters himself now.”
Wayne Lesher, the Bernville Borough Council vice president, also condemned the mayor’s remarks. “He said what he wanted to on his own Facebook page which is freedom of speech and all that, but I certainly don’t agree with it and I think what he said was terrible. You’re celebrating the death of somebody; that’s nothing to celebrate.”
Lesher added, “It does have consequences. Several people have lost their jobs because of what they said, and you have freedom of speech to say what you want but you can pay for it too.”
As pressure mounts from both inside and outside the community, questions are now being raised over whether the mayor will resign or face disciplinary action from local government.
