Rob McKenna Campaign Staffer Apologizes for Tweets

July 16, 2012 7:28 PM

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OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A campaign staffer for Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna has apologized for two tweets she sent months ago making fun of Asians and the elderly.

The Seattle weekly newspaper The Stranger reported on Monday that Kathlyn Ehl sent one tweet in November, and another in January, both before she started with the campaign. The November tweet criticized elderly people for taking too long to cross the street. The January one read: “shut up and speak english” followed with a hashtag that said “asians.”

McKenna on Monday called the tweets “offensive and inappropriate” and said that the fact she made the comments before she joined the campaign “does not make them any less hurtful to Asian Americans and the elderly.”

In an email message to The Seattle Times, Ehl apologized, saying she hurt many with her statements and “for causing that pain, I am sorry.”

Ehl will remain on the campaign, spokesman Charles McCray said.

Rob McKenna Campaign Staffer Apologizes for Tweets

http://www.wbanmember.com/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet-by-sue-tl-fox/ To “Tweet” or Not to “Tweet” – by Sue TL Fox | WBAN

[...] the following: ”My actions were not just unfortunate, they were offensive,” she told the [Seattle Times-reported on CBS Seattle]. “It is a lesson to others that social media comments made in frustration not only can hurt [...]