Florida school board chair apologizes after mocking Hulk Hogan's death on Facebook
Sarah Rockwell, an elected Alachua County Public Schools board member, took a swipe at the late wrestling legend and longtime Donald Trump ally just hours after news broke last Thursday that he died from cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
'Oh did Hulk die? I didn't even know. Good. One less MAGA in the world,' she said.
In a follow-up comment, Rockwell posted that Hogan worked with WWE co-founders Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon, the education secretary, to 'union bust professional wrestling.'
'He's never been a good guy,' she continued. 'I feel absolutely nothing about his death.'
Rockewell has faced a growing wave of backlash over her comments, including a scathing opinion piece in the Alachua Chronicle that argued she could be censured for violating the board's Standards of Ethical Conduct, which require members to 'value the worth and dignity of every person.'
The Alachua County Republican Party accused Rockwell of having 'stomped on a man's grave over politics.'
Raemi Eagle-Glenn, a Florida GOP State Committeewoman who Governor Ron DeSantis appointed to the Board of County Commissioners of Alachua County in 2022, called for Rockwell to 'RESIGN NOW.'
'Does Sarah Rockwell wish death upon the Trump supporting students and parents of Alachua County?' she added.
Rockwell apologized on Saturday for her 'cruel and flippant' comments about Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea .
'A few days ago, I made a cruel and flippant comment from my personal Facebook account on a friend's post regarding the death of Hulk Hogan,' she wrote in her apology on Saturday.
'I want to make it very clear that I never have and never will wish harm on anyone regardless of whether we share political views. While I strongly disagree with some of the comments Hulk Hogan made, that is no excuse for my comment.'
Rockwell expressed deep regret over the remarks and has since deleted the post.
The school board chair said she was dismayed that her comment 'has eroded confidence in my ability to represent all students, families and staff' in the county.
Hogan threw his support behind Trump after the then-GOP presidential candidate survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally in July last year.
The wrestler decided to use his theatrical personality to officially endorse and advocate for Trump at the Republican National Convention.
Hogan yelled into the microphone while ripping his shirt off with his bare hands to reveal a 'Trump Vance 2024' tank top underneath, flexing his muscles the entire time.
Last week, Trump remembered his 'great friend' in a post on Truth Social, calling him 'strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart.'
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