A top Democrat in Pennsylvania said that he was forced to resign due to past Facebook posts that were deemed controversial. Mark Salvas told CBS 2 Pittsburgh that he was asked by the chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Party to resign, largely because of a photo from last year that showed him and his wife with the words "I stand for the flag, I kneel at the cross."
Democrats in Allegheny County were reportedly offended by his patriotic post, as well as another by his wife that asked to support an officer charged in the fatal shooting of an African-American teen in June.
"I’m not ashamed of my patriotism, not one bit," said Salvas, a Gulf War veteran. "I fought for this country. I think I have a right to have a voice and be patriotic."
Salvas said that the officer involved in the summer shooting is a close friend, and that he and his wife felt it necessary to be there for his family.
Officer Michael Rosfeld was charged in the shooting death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose Jr. in East Pittsburgh.
Rosfeld had been sworn in mere hours before the shooting occurred and had worked at the East Pittsburgh Police Department for a few weeks.
Pennsylvania Rep. Ed Gainey told CBS 2 Pittsburgh that Salvas' post was insensitive to African-American Democrats.
“If you’re going to be executive director of the Democratic Party, you have to be sensitive to things like that," he told the news outlet.
Salvas said he has no apologies regarding his post. It was reported that he also has bi-racial child, as well as African-American family members.
