Gas Industry Supporters Don't Accept Rep. Jesse White's Apology For Online Bullying

• Marie Cusick
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  Marie Cusick was the Harrisburg reporter for StateImpact Pennsylvania.

An exposé by the Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA has revealed state Rep. Jesse White (D- Allegheny) used a variety of aliases to bully online commenters who were supportive of gas drilling, including a 64-year-old woman he impersonated.
White has been an outspoken critic of the gas industry. Although he refused to acknowledge his behavior on camera, he issued an apology yesterday, saying he was exercising his First Amendment rights and wants to meet face-to-face with two of the people he bullied.
White was traced using the internet protocol (IP) address associated with his state email, but he says he did not use government resources while making the comments.
White has also commented on the StateImpact Pennsylvania website using his own name, however a search of our comments found no record of the IP address shown in KDKA’s report.
In a follow-up, the station reports the apology isn’t being accepted by the two people White bullied:

 

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