Tega Cay council member votes to censure himself for ‘disruptive’ comments. Here’s why
A Tega Cay city council member was censured this week for controversial comments he made on social media.
And the council member voted in support of his public reprimand.
Councilman Scott Shirley joined his colleagues in the unanimous decision Monday. He is accused of making “disruptive” comments about Kyle Rittenhouse, according to his fellow council members.
Rittenhouse fatally shot two people and wounded a third during 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Wisconsin, when he was 17. He was later acquitted of all charges.
Shirley’s posts were “offensive and inflammatory” and “could insinuate support of acts of violence or vigilantism if disruptive persons came into the city limits,” according to the censure resolution.
Shirley said the suggestion he was promoting violence was taken “completely out of context.” He defended Rittenhouse on Monday as “a young man who did not incite violence” but was instead protecting property from rioters and looters.
The Herald has been unable to independently confirm Shirley’s social media posts or whether they were deleted.
“I was advocating that we all take a stand against violence by exercising our God-given rights protected by the constitution, including, but not limited to, free speech and bearing arms,” Shirley said before voting to censure himself.
“Yeah, I could’ve said it differently. Probably should have. But in no way was I advocating violence.”
A censure is a public reprimand intended to convey disapproval of an elected official’s actions. The move is largely symbolic — councils have little disciplinary recourse and generally cannot remove an elected official from office.
Councilman Brian Carter said he had a “tough conversation” with Shirley about how he presented the Rittenhouse shootings. He disagreed with Shirley’s characterization.
He joined council members Tom Hyslip and Carmen Miller in saying council members must hold themselves to a higher standard, despite freedom of speech protections.
“That’s where your words have to matter. You’re not a person, you are an elected official, and you speak for the city. You speak for all of us on council,” Miller said.
A history of controversial social media posts
This isn’t the first time Shirley made waves for something he posted online.
Previous “offensive” social media comments have led to informal reprimands from individual Tega Cay council members, according to the resolution.
The resolution didn’t specify which comments, but WFAE reported in 2022 that Shirley called U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, a “disgusting old man” who “got what he asked for” when a home intruder bashed him over the head with a hammer.
That same year, he called then-President Joe Biden “Pedophile Joe,” according to Queen City News.
His term expires in 2026.
Shirley did not respond to an email request Tuesday for comment.
Mayor Chris Gray told The Herald that the council didn’t have any additional comments beyond Monday night’s discussion.
“I do think that being in a leadership position, it requires us to think before we speak. And also it requires us as people to offer grace to those who have transgressed us,” Gray said at the meeting. “This Sunday, Jesus will have crawled up on the cross for everyone … I would encourage us all to give grace this week especially.”
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
