Pittsburgh mayor ‘taking knee’ on Penguins White House visit
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto says he’s skipping the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Oct. 10 White House visit because of recent tweets by President Donald Trump.
Peduto and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, both Democrats, accompanied the team when they met with President Barack Obama following last year’s Stanley Cup Championship.
Fitzgerald says he considers the trip an honor regardless of presidential politics but has a scheduling conflict. But Peduto says he’s not going because of Trump’s tweets criticizing NFL players for kneeling or otherwise protesting during the National Anthem.
Peduto says the visit could bring negative attention to the city so he’ll “take a knee on this one and stay home.”
Fitzgerald says he’s hoping “we can use sports as a unifying factor, and that’s what the Penguins have been.” Fitzgerald will be presenting his county budget that day.