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\u201cIn this country, we have freedom of speech, but that does not mean that we have freedom from consequence,\u201d said Savannah Wilson, an Erie resident. Brzezinski\u2019s behavior \u201clast meeting is permission for discrimination,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n
Brzezinski\u2019s insult came toward the end of a heated council debate on June 9 over a bayfront redevelopment project.<\/p>\n
Council President Tyler Titus, who is out as transgender and uses they\/them pronouns<\/a>, cautioned Brzezinski with a reminder to limit his interruptions, Erie News Now<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Brzezinski replied to Dr. Titus, \u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n News of the slight spread quickly, and had Democrats in the county addressing hateful words from one of their own.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing registered as a Democrat is not a shield from accountability by the Democratic Party, as our values mean very little if they are only campaign language,\u201d Erie County Democrats said in a statement<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis conduct is particularly concerning because it follows prior public concerns about Councilmember Brzezinski\u2019s use of degrading language toward colleagues,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n The rebukes continued at Wednesday night\u2019s council meeting, where 58 attendees addressed his behavior during three hours of public comment in the packed council chamber, with almost all the comments directed almost exclusively at Brzezinski, Erie Times-News <\/a>reported.<\/p>\n Dozens of people spoke out Wednesday during an Erie City Council public comment session, calling for the immediate resignation or a public apology from Councilman Ed Brzezinski.<\/p>\n https:\/\/t.co\/4ndk6pz24k<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 JET\/FOX\/YourErie.com (@JET24FOX66) June 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cLet us be clear: this was a deliberate act of disrespect and intent to harm a member of our trans community,\u201d said trans constituent Rie Witherow.<\/p>\n \u201cI am misgendered daily,\u201d they said, adding that most of those incidents are simple mistakes.<\/p>\n Brzezinski\u2019s outburst was not a mistake, they said, while calling on him to resign or for his colleagues to censure and strip him of his committee assignments.<\/p>\n Erie Mayor Daria Devlin publicly apologized to Titus during her report in chambers. She said she regretted not doing more in the moment after Brzezinski uttered the words.<\/p>\n Brzezinski said nothing through the comment period, only speaking at the end of the meeting to announce an unrelated event.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s it. Thank you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Titus saved their comments for the meeting\u2019s final minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cHealing does not happen by pretending harm did not occur. Healing happens when we tell the truth about what happened, we take responsibility for our role in it, and we commit ourselves to building a better city,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is my hope for this council, that is my hope for this city, and despite everything, that hope remains stronger than my anger,\u201d Titus said.<\/p>\n Whether or not that message sank in seemed to be answered by a meeting attendee who watched Brzezinski exit the session.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter hours of public comment condemning Ed\u2019s decorum at the city council meeting tonight, Ed Brzezinski walked up to a young female reporter in the lobby, made smooching noises and commented that she was the only thing that kept him awake through the meeting. I heard him and he\u2019ll have to hear me call him out at the next meeting,\u201d social media user Sammie Voto wrote online.<\/p>\n Councilman Brzezinski purposefully misgendered Erie\u2019s trans nonbinary city council president last week, got yelled at by constituents for 4+ hours last night due to his actions, and then proceeded to hit on a reporter. We need him gone from council ASAP. pic.twitter.com\/Scz3eLowrb<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Cole \ud83c\udf39 (@ColeAsLife) June 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe to the\u00a0LGBTQ Nation newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.<\/p>\n
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