LINO LAKES, Minn. – (May 12, 2017) – A Lino Lakes council member is apologizing after a social media post. Melissa Maher commented on a Facebook post about Representative Tom Emmer’s visit to a farm. In her comment Maher suggested Emmer avoid people who have deadly objects at hand.
Maher’s comment was related to anger over Emmer’s recent healthcare vote. Maher went on to called Emmer a coward. Emmer’s chief of staff David FitzSimmons reported the comment to Capitol Police and called for an immediate apology from Maher.
“I have apologized to many people at this point, first and foremost Congressman Emmer, I actually wrote a formal apology and sent it to him through the mail, I’m a little bit old fashioned that way, I think if I owe an apology it should be in writing and I mailed it to him in his office,” said Maher.
Maher Apology Letters:
“Tuesday evening at a meeting that we had I as able to personally talk with the council and the department heads at the City of Lino Lakes and so we addressed the situation there also. I wanted to get a chance to talk to them face to face because I owe them more than a letter to the Quad or something like that so I’ve had a chance to apologize to them in person, I’ve apologized to congressman Emmer’s office, I’ve actually written a letter to the editor in the Community Press that is an apology to the community.”
Others have called on Maher to resign her position on the Lino Lakes City Council something that she is not ready to do.
“Unless legal circumstances dictate that I should resign, I do not plan on doing that because I think I have a lot to offer this city in terms of a council member and I don’t necessarily think that it’s in the city’s best interest for me to resign,” said Maher.
Lino Lakes Mayor Jeff Reinert is taking this situation very seriously.
“These kinds of comments should never be overlooked especially when made by an elected official. The comments made by Council Member Maher were reckless, reprehensible and have embarrassed our city. Letting these comments go unchecked implies that it is OK for others to act the same way. An investigation is now in process by the Capital Police in Washington DC but has not yet been completed. Final recommendation for action regarding Council Member Maher by our city council will have to wait until the investigation is complete,” said Reinert.
