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The latest shot in the cross-state rivalry between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh is a Western Pennsylvania state senator’s insult aimed at a City of Brotherly Love firefighter.
According to The Keystone, which first reported the incident, Republican state Sen. Devlin Robinson, who represents Robinson Township, used a vulgarity to describe PA Task Force-1 program manager and Philadelphia Fire Department Capt. Ken Pagurek.
Robinson’s off-color remark occurred as Pagurek was preparing to deliver remarks during a hearing Tuesday at the Allegheny County 911 Center in Moon Township.
The hearing by the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee was on Senate Bill 792 and House Bill 843, which would create another PA Task Force and urban search and rescue team specifically for Western Pennsylvania.
In a 13-second video clip of the incident posted on X, formerly Twitter, by The Keystone, committee Chairman Sen. Doug Mastriano introduces Pagurek and welcomes him before Robinson leans over close to Mastriano and whispers, “Yeah, this guy looks like a (offensive word),” which draws a weak chuckle from Mastriano.
Robinson posted an apology on X shortly after midnight Thursday, in which he said he apologized for using “the wrong choice of words” prompted, he said, by previous testimony in which lawmakers were “told that the citizens of Western Pennsylvania do not deserve to have an urban search (and) rescue element that will surely save lives should a catastrophe arise.”
Robinson said that he “let my frustrations get the better of me and used the wrong choice of words, and for that I apologize.”
— Senator Devlin Robinson (@SenRobinsonPA) August 3, 2023
Democrats jumped on the wisecrack with the state Senate Democratic Campaign Committee’s X account, sharing a story from 6abc.com in Philadelphia about Pagurek being deployed to help victims of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico in 2022.
“Task Force One firefighter Ken Pagurek was deployed to Puerto Rican (sic) to help civilians after the disaster of Hurricane Fiona,” the SDCC wrote. “When he went to a PA Senate hearing, Devlin Robinson called him a (name).’”
Mike Bresnan, president of the Philadelphia Firefighters’ Union, told KYW radio that Robinson’s comment was “completely inappropriate” and “unprofessional.”
Bresnan said it was obvious that Robinson and Mastriano “didn’t agree or like Capt. Pagurek’s testimony against what they’re trying to do.”
Wrapping up this intrastate war of words, Bresnan correctly observed that Robinson is a decorated Marine Corps veteran.
“I imagine he thinks highly of himself as far as the service, but Ken Pagurek’s service to the city of Philadelphia and citizens of the state, I could put up on par with a veteran’s because he’s been in a lot of situations where he’s put his so-called butt on the line.”
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