HarryHurley.com
EDITORIAL
 
LEVY'S WAY OUT?
 
By HARRY HURLEY
Editor & Publisher
HarryHurley.com
 
Monday, May 14, 2007
 
Even by the ridiculous standards set by Bob Levy ... this one was unexpected.
 
Recently, Levy sent out a mass e-mail to members of the media ... inviting them to come to Atlantic City Hall ... so they could cover his (Democratic) partisan political endorsements of Barbara Hudgins and Joyce Molleneux.
 
I believe that every single member of the media immediately knew that this was a blatant, willful violation of the federal Hatch, which was designed to prevent elected officials from abusing their public office ... and, trying to gain a partisan, political advantage by using their elective office to attempt to affect the results, or, otherwise influence a partisan election.
 
No one in the media threw Levy a Life Preserver ... They let the Levy Press Conference go off ... Then jumped on The Federal Hatch Act violation in light of Levy's direct actions.
 
Levy would have no one else to blame this time. He attended the event. He presided over it ... He made the partisan political endorsements. All while reporters observed and took notes ... and, while video and still cameras were rolling.   
 
This latest Levy political stunt may be his last.
 
What remains to be seen ... Did Levy do this stunt on purpose? In a way, I hope so ... Because if he didn't ... this will go down as one of the dumbest political moves ever.
 
Particularly so, in light of the present political environment, whereby former Mayor Langford is presenting serving out his 18-month banishment from holding public elective office. Langford's name and title (Mayor) were utilized in a Democratic political flyer, touting his endorsement of a Democratic candidate. It was basically a facsimile letter placed in a newsletter. 
 
Yet, The United States Office of Special Counsel hit Langford hard, very hard for this "infraction."
 
What will this same office do to Levy? After all, in Levy's case, he sent out an elaborate press release (using City Hall computers, City logos, etc.) touting his partisan, political endorsements and inviting the media to come to the City Hall Mayor's office, so that he could publicly endorse Hudgins and Molleneux.
 
This should seem as the slam dunk of all Hatch Act slam dunk cases.
 
The evidence is incontrovertible. Levy has made not one, but two political endorsements in a partisan election campaign. And, he has utilized the taxpayer resources of City Hall and City Hall personnel to further this highly partisan political cause.
 
Could it be, that Levy did this on purpose? It has been long known by me that Levy doesn't want to be there ... He doesn't want the job of Mayor ... He doesn't do the job of Mayor. He has performed so abysmally, that he now owns a disgraced, small Mayor in name only status.
 
What better way to get out, then to try and beat your own recall ... And, simply allow yourself to be removed by The United States Office of Special Counsel.
 
Embarrassing? Yes! But, it would do the trick!
 
I have been assured that there have been several times (over the past 1 year and 4 months) when Levy was about to resign from office. However, some Craig Callaway political associate has talked Levy out of it each time.
 
You can't blame them ... They are the ones actually running Atlantic City Hall. Unelected, appointed shadow figures ... Who control everything. They are willing to tell Levy anything to keep him there. For, if he goes ... They go!
 
You can't blame them ... It's quite a gravy train ride. They want to stay. They are all earning high salaries and driving free cars, free gasoline, free "Cadillac" medical health benefits. This is a gig that they want to last as long as humanly possible.
 
So, in the end ... yes, it all seems rather Machiavellian ... But, I am suggesting today that Levy's blatantly partisan and political Democratic endorsements may very well be Levy's way of extricating himself from his present political problems.
 
Levy appears to be seeking a lifeline from The United States Office of Special Counsel. to do what he doesn't have the courage to do himself ... and that's to resign from an office that he disgraces on a near daily basis.
 
The alternative is to believe that the Levy City Hall is so dumb that they thought they could make highly (blatantly) partisan political endorsements and get away with it ... especially in light of the immediate past Mayor serving an 18-month suspension for doing far less?