Officials patch up Facebook post flap

Kessling apologizes for comments on Gregory’s timeline

The chairman of the Blair County Commissioners plans to meet next week with a local state representative to discuss an offensive post that the commissioner placed briefly last weekend on the lawmaker's legislative Facebook page.

Republican Commissioner Dave Kessling has already apologized on Facebook, while state Rep. Jim Gregory, R-Hollidaysburg, has already forgiven Kessling, the men told the Mirror separately on Thursday.

Kessling's problematic post was in response to a notice Gregory placed on his Facebook page last November, detailing plans to attend five events in connection with Veterans Day "to remember and celebrate our brave men and women who served."

Kessling's response: "Did you serve this country? Were you in the military? I don't believe you were. DO NOT promote those who have served like me, when you did not. DO NOT pretend to be appreciative of those who served when you did NOT!"

When Gregory learned of Kessling's post, after one of Gregory's constituents captured it with a screenshot, he was "angry and hurt," Gregory said.

That lasted for a few hours, Gregory said.

But realizing the words had been posted late Saturday night and not knowing what Kessling's state of mind was at that time, "I quickly forgave Dave in my heart," Gregory said.

He also texted Kessling with a request that they meet "face-to-face as brothers," Gregory said.

Kessling has since asked Jim Foreman, chairman of the Blair County Republican Committee, to facilitate that meeting.

"I have acknowledged my comments were inappropriate," Kessling said, following a commissioners' meeting. "(They) were insensitive."

New to elected office in January, Kessling has learned that sharing one's views as a public figure isn't the same as sharing them as a private citizen, he said.

"If you make a mistake, it's amplified 10 times," he stated.

He wrote the problem post not realizing that it was in response to something Gregory had written months earlier, Kessling said.

"I thought it was being used for political gain and was not sincere," Kessling said, seeming to refer to Gregory's upcoming re-election campaign. "Because of that, it angered me."

He has since reconsidered, he said.

He served in the military, but there are people who are unable to do that for various reasons, he said.

"When I reflect back (I realize the post) was unfair," he said.

The men need to work things out, not only for themselves, but for their mutual constituents and for the Republican party, Kessling said.

He's been grateful that people he's spoken to this week have forgiven the misstep, Kessling said.

He was also pleased to learn from the Mirror that Gregory, too, has forgiven him, he said.

"I feel bad," he said. "If I could go back and take it back, I would."

He's made mistakes himself, Gregory said.

"I ask people to forgive me for mine," the representative said. "I'm showing grace for his."

"It's time to move on and repair the damage," Kessling stated.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.