Friday, July 25, 2008
Two Jersey politicians
No Jersey politician has bigger problems today than long-serving Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Union). His legislative office computer was confiscated on suspicion of containing child pornography (which probably doesn't mean the "Barely Legal Asian Hotties" variety). The alleged photos were discovered by a staffer, reported to Sen. Raymond Lesniak & Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (both D-Union), who share the premises, & they turned him in. "Sources said Cohen was under psychiatric care Thursday night. He could not be reached for comment." That's a bad sign.
More pathetic is the downfall of former Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy, who was sentenced to three years probation today for fraudulently collecting $24,683 in veterans' benefits over what he legitimately deserved. This guy's sorry situation is hard to figure. He's a native of AC, had a 20 year career in the Army, won a Bronze Star. Army was very good to him after Vietnam; assigned him to the AC recruiting office & then Fort Monmouth as an instructor, perhaps rewarding a talent for exaggeration. After Levy was honorably discharged, he became Chief of the Beach Patrol & had other patronage positions he could have held until retirement if he'd just played the game. Yet he bullshitted people around the city that he'd been a Green Beret, that he'd earned a Combat Infantryman's Badge & a Parachutist Badge. Maybe he eventually believed it himself. But tall tales weren't enough; he lied for extra benefits, too. Levy was not mayoral material; served just 22 months before resigning over this scandal & was never seen as his own man anyway. Not that AC has a history of honest mayors. He punished himself. He's finished in AC & the Beach Patrol, lost the respect of other vets.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
More pathetic is the downfall of former Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy, who was sentenced to three years probation today for fraudulently collecting $24,683 in veterans' benefits over what he legitimately deserved. This guy's sorry situation is hard to figure. He's a native of AC, had a 20 year career in the Army, won a Bronze Star. Army was very good to him after Vietnam; assigned him to the AC recruiting office & then Fort Monmouth as an instructor, perhaps rewarding a talent for exaggeration. After Levy was honorably discharged, he became Chief of the Beach Patrol & had other patronage positions he could have held until retirement if he'd just played the game. Yet he bullshitted people around the city that he'd been a Green Beret, that he'd earned a Combat Infantryman's Badge & a Parachutist Badge. Maybe he eventually believed it himself. But tall tales weren't enough; he lied for extra benefits, too. Levy was not mayoral material; served just 22 months before resigning over this scandal & was never seen as his own man anyway. Not that AC has a history of honest mayors. He punished himself. He's finished in AC & the Beach Patrol, lost the respect of other vets.
Labels: Atlantic City, in the news
