A Democrat mayor in Pennsylvania defended his actions after footage emerged of him getting schooled by a Donald Trump supporter at a protest on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk claimed to be “concerned” that the protest would interfere with “EVERYONE’S access to the ballot request and drop off” in a statement on X after a video clip went viral.
In the video, Tuerk could be heard arguing with a Trump campaign employee. His concerns surrounded access to voting facilities near an intersection.
“What we’re trying to do right now is make sure that people can access the election office,” Tuerk said to another employee. In response to a question on what could be done to address the situation, the Democrat replied, “Well, this is the question. So, how do we get to a solution where people can – where people who ..cannot easily walk to a poll and get here to drop off ballots.”
Campaign officials replied that it had been widely advertised that the street would be closed, including on a social media post released by the city. “You put out a press statement yesterday – the city did – saying that this entire block was closed,” he told Tuerk. “On Apple Maps, you know what it shows? It shows this entire intersection closed. Look it up.”
Many had praise for the campaign employee.
Others called it a desperate attempt by Tuerk to disrupt the protest.