To:  Tom Barlas, Press Writer

       The Press of Atlantic City

 

Subj:  Request For Correction

 

November 6, 2005

 

 

Mr. Barlas,

 

With regard to your story of Nov 6, 2005 relating to issues involving the federal Hatch Act, I'd like to offer you a few corrections and other information that will better inform the public.

 

1.  Your story incorrectly identifies the Independent Candidate for Mayor of Atlantic City, Joseph Polillo as the complaintant in the matter involving Chief Robert Levy. This is wrong.

 

The truth of the matter is, I am the one who filed the complaint on October 23, 2005 with the US Office of Special Counsel against Chief Levy.

 

2.  Your story also incorrectly relates my complaint to Chief Levy's as "similar" to a complaint of May of 2005 during the Primary Election. Since you have never asked me for any information, I don't know how you can properly contend this? 

 

The fact is, there are no similarities between the two complaints at all, either between the issues raised or in the volume of supporting documentation I have supplied to the federal government, which have directly established Chief Levy's intimate involvement with federal programs and federal funds.

 

I must also note that my complaint has not been "dismissed" either. To the contrary, the Chief Levy matter is now actually being thoroughly investigated for the first time.

 

Your story also failed to make mention of the serious misuse of city owned resources by Chief Levy, such as the use of Fire Stations, Fire Engines, Sworn Officers in full dress and more, all utilized by Chief Levy to advance his own partisan political activity in a series of television commercials. These actions also violate the federal Hatch Act, as do Chief Levy's duties and responsibilities as Chief of the Beach Patrol, Chief of Beach Maintenance, Chief of Emergency Services, Chief of Administrative Services, to name a few.

 

Could Joseph Polillo, or any other private citizen running for partisan political office in Atlantic City, have commanded all of these millions of dollars of  city resources, as well as order public officers in uniform to facilitate the production of a TV for commercial for their own gain, as Chief Levy did in May of 2005?

 

I believe it is also misleading within the context of your story, to bring Congressman LoBiondo into your story by attempting to compare Sheriff James McGettigan intentionally transferring his subordinate in an effort to eliminate his opponent in his own election, to that of the situation involving Chief Levy.

 

No one placed Chief Levy in any situation of violation. Chief Levy was doing what duties he has done for many years. These are all the same activities that preclude a person in his position from running for partisan political office in the first place.

 

Most of all though, your story truly misses the mark with respect to the real intent of the Federal Hatch Act, which is to prevent political corruption. The real purpose of the act is to prevent persons, like Chief Levy, from utilizing their positions of power and policy making ability to interfere or affect the partisan elective process.

 

These concerns are well-founded, and the act needs to stay in place to protect the public from abuses, such as those that Chief Levy has politically perpetrated upon the citizens, in his campaign for Mayor of Atlantic City.

 

I never read where your paper come to the defense of all of the other low-level employees who were excluded by the provisions of the Hatch Act. It's obvious to me that your newspaper has a dog in this fight in the election for Mayor of Atlantic City, as well as a real interest in advancing Chief Levy's political pursuits. However, the truth is still the truth.

 

Your newspaper at least owes Candidate for Mayor Joseph Polillo a correction, as you wrongfully identified him as a complaintant in a matter which he has nothing to do with.

 

Your paper has already previously reported to your readers that I was the actual complaintant against Chief Levy, although the readers have been cheated out of the real facts in the case to this point.

 

I find it sad that your newspaper had no desire in investigating this matter with any proficiency. It has been a true disservice to the voters of Atlantic City and your reading public.

 

I hope you will at least offer Mr. Polillo and your readers the correction that they deserve before election day, in a place similar to the front page that you misrepresented this entire matter upon.

 

Respectfully,

 

Don P. Hurley