Town mayor resigns after 'absolutely disgusting' attacks on social media: 'I did not sign up for this'
The mayor of a small town in Missouri has resigned after just one year in the position, after facing “absolutely disgusting” attacks on social media.
Fred Wiedner, the now former mayor of the city of Lexington, made his announcement in an open letter on Tuesday, when he cited interactions on Facebook as the driving force behind his resignation.
“The recent hatred, attacks, and outright lies that have been hurled my direction on Facebook by some citizens of this community are absolutely disgusting and I honestly believe do not represent the majority,” he wrote. “I did not sign up for this mess.”
Wiedner went on to comment on “how mean people could be,” although he wrote that he wouldn’t be addressing specific attacks until the city council meeting that took place Tuesday night. After 12 months in office, however, dealing with the online criticism was no longer worth it.
The Lexington city clerk didn’t reply to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment. However, told Fox News that the online debates were sparked when the mayor made the decision to fire a well-liked administrator in March. According to Kansas City outlet KCTV, the administrator’s firing was a result of accusations that he was promoting a ballot measure while the city was still paying him. The Missouri ethics commission later found no evidence to support the allegations. Meanwhile, the former mayor assured that he always acted in the best interest of the city.
Now, in his own best interest, Wiedner wrote that he and his wife decided to move away from Lexington after he accepted a job offer in another state, as former councilman, Scott Lynn, will now serve as mayor.
Wiedner didn’t immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for additional information. He revealed to KCTV that his new job is in Florida.
“My family and I are leaving behind many good friends and I am sure that we will stay in touch,” Wiedner’s letter reads. “We wish the best for the City of Lexington.”
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