Facebook blocks Charles Town, WV city council candidate's page with no further appeal

Courtney Knill is running for city council in Charles Town, WV, but you wouldn't know that from her Facebook page, which has been locked. The candidate for Ward 3 told The Post Millennial that she woke up late last week to discover that her Facebook page was disabled. A message told her that she was in violation of community guidelines and she was accused of impersonating herself. 

She was given the opportunity to appeal, and she went through that process. "All they had me do was record a video of myself where they had me point my face in a different direction, basically just showing that you are who you say they are," she said.

"They reviewed it, and then just today I got the notice: We disabled your account... reviewed your account. It still doesn't follow our community standards on account integrity. You cannot request another review of this decision, and you can download your information if you want. And that's it," she said, "done. Campaign Facebook page shut down." Knill's Instagram page and X account are still live.

Knill, a Charles Town native who went to college locally at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV, is dedicated to creating an environment where small businesses can thrive in the historic town nestled in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. She "is dedicated to promoting the health and safety in the neighborhoods, and wants to be accessible to the community as their personal liaison for their local government."

There was nothing controversial on her page, she said. Recent videos included highlights from a local community event. "And then the other was quick reel from a small business," Knill said. "I was highlighting a local, family-owned small business that's been there for over 15 years, and I was talking to them about voting in the upcoming election.

Her opponent is a recent transplant to the area and still has his Facebook page. Nate Hartman recently posted a successful fundraiser where his campaign brought in over $500,000 for his city council campaign in the effort to represent about 5,600 voters.

"I'm the smaller person here in this race," Knill said. "I had to fundraise to even have enough money to even purchase signs or door hangers or anything." As for Hartman, Knill said, "he just moved to West Virginia a few years ago. He's a liberal from out of state, bought one of the most expensive properties in downtown Charles Town, and now is running for office vs. me, who was born and raised in Charles Town. I've been here almost 30 years."

The seat to represent Ward 3 is open after the incumbent stepped down and Knill is the only candidate for the seat who made a website, instead of just a Facebook page, to give voters an idea of her views and how she would represent her friends and neighbors on the Charles Town city council. 

A recent post from Hartman on his Facebook page shows him praising a new sign. "Want to express my gratitude to Linda Ballard, the Green-Copeland American Legion Auxiliary Unit 6, and Charles Town City Council for designing and providing this amazing new sign which states crucial facts about African American abolitionists Shields Green and John Copeland Jr.," the post reads. "It is an honor to be a steward of such a historic place and I look forward to partnering with other community stakeholders in effort to prioritize the preservation of our rich history."

The Eastern Panhandle is a rapidly growing area with people coming from neighboring states. The population of Charles Town was under 8,000 in 2023 and had a median household income of about $95,000. The population in Charles Town, and Jefferson County, of which the town is the county seat, is on the rise. The election is on May 22.