A candidate seeking an alumni position on the Penn State Board of Trustees posted messages on Twitter Friday night that read "Ready, aim... #PSUBOT" and a text image of crosshairs.
One tweet was posted at 8:22 p.m. Friday, and another nearly identical tweet was posted at 8:25 p.m. before being removed.
Scott Kimler — Class of 1983 and ballot position No. 39 in the upcoming trustee elections, according to Penn State News — said he did not intend harm and was simply "playing around on Twitter" when he posted the messages. His "intent was to indicate that the Board of Trustees is in our crosshairs," he said, and he believed the graphic could translate this message better.
To assume that his intention was to make a statement of "would be in complete error," Kimler said.
"I personally have nothing against the individual Board of Trustees members," he said.
Kimler said he is certain the trustees are "trying to do a very good job" while they are under a microscope, but a culture has developed over decades that doesn't lend itself to openness and transparency.
He said the board members were caught "flat-footed" with the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse, and the size of the board did not allow for more responsiveness and engagement.
Individually, he said, board members are good people, but collectively, they have exhibited some examples of poor decision-making.
Shortly after posting the tweets, Kimler said he deleted them because the graphics were not lining up as he wanted them to.
The trustees are not in enviable position, as was said during the past Senate hearings, while they also have "a tough road to climb," he said.
