The Press
Watch
By DON P.
HURLEY
Contributing
Editor
HarryHurley.com
May 2,
2005
First Time Caller?
Answer the Question,
Bob Levy!
I did something today that I
have not done since at least 1997 or 1998 when I was responsible
for dealing with PBA issues. I called the Pinky's Corner Radio
Program.
Bob Levy, the (Democrat),
candidate for Mayor in this years Primary Election was the guest and said he
would answer any questions posed to him. So I called.
Well, Bob Levy did not answer
my question.
I asked Mr. Levy very politely;
"Who authorized you, (Bob Levy), to utilize public employees in uniform, public
buildings and publicly owned equipment for your, (Levy's), own
personal/political gain" in TV commercials in your campaign for Mayor? And,
do you (Levy), think this was an appropriate use of publicly owned
resources"?
Mr. Levy refused to answer the
question. But, one thing that my call to Levy did accomplish, was to at least
have him publicly admit that he did utilize these resources in his TV
ads.
However, Levy would only
say that many people are looking into this matter, (they should be,
especially Law Enforcement), and that everyone used in the TV ads were on their
own time and not on duty.
If Bob Levy really thinks that
this makes things better, than I truly question his suitability to serve in any
public position.
Levy admitted that he
had uniformed employees dressed up in Official City Public Safety Uniforms
on their own time, for his own personal business. This is
outrageous!
The fact that uniformed
employees may or may not have been on their own time is not the issue. The real
issue is the use of public resources and property for Levy's own
personal/political gain.
Levy went on to say that the
political/personal stunt ad did not cost the citizens of Atlantic City
anything. I seriously doubt that you can utilize millions of dollars worth of
human and material resources and it not cost
anything.
But, that's not the point.
The point is; Levy utilized these resources to profit himself. That's
wrong, and action needs to be taken. I believe it is a crime. Where is Law
Enforcement? Are they just watching this arrogant misuse of public property by
Levy, with the intent of doing nothing about these
violations?
Bob Levy's big problem today
was that he didn't have his handlers from Philadelphia to give him the answers
to my question. Because in reality there is no answer that can extricate Levy
from his problems, ( at least not any true answer he could
give).
But, in the end, I
am sure that it was probably his handlers from Philly who
thought the TV commercial misusing public property, was a good idea in the first
place. Levy is now discovering that, he alone, is responsible for his
own actions.
I urge Law Enforcement to do
it's job, and enforce the laws that prohibit conduct like levy's, before we have
to endure Bob Levy in his next TV ad, perhaps riding a wave in an Atlantic
City Life Guard boat for votes this time.
Respectfully,
Don