Where?s Mayor Herenton?
Posted: 2/21/2005 10:53:54 PM
Eyewitness News went looking for the mayor Monday afternoon. His assistant said he was out, but the mayor's reflection could be seen in a picture in his office!
Eyewitness News wanted to know where Mayor Willie Herenton was when major lay-offs were announced Friday. His assistant, Gail Jones Carson, told us Monday she had no idea. Gail Jones Carson is the mayor?s executive assistant.
?I don't have his schedule for Friday, I didn't have his schedule Friday and I don't have it today for Friday.?
So on Monday, Eyewitness News asked to speak with the mayor directly. We were told he was out of the office in a meeting. So we put our questions to Jones Carson. The question is: This is such a huge thing for the city, why wasn't the mayor there for it?
The Chief Administrative Officer, Keith McGee, was handling the budget reduction information. But Eyewitness News still wanted to hear it straight from the top.
?Is there a chance if we hang around we could speak with the mayor??
?If you wanna just sit here and wait, that's your prerogative.?
But apparently it wasn't our prerogative. Just a few minutes later a reflection of Herenton could be seen in a picture as he stood around the corner out of sight. Then his security chief came out with a message. Herenton?s chief of security told Eyewitness News the mayor didn?t want us around.
?He would like for you to leave.?
??you can't just camp out here now that you know he doesn't want to give the interview, I mean he's asking you to leave.?
So, is this kind of evasive behavior is normal for the mayor of a big city? The answer: apparently not!!! Eyewitness News called the mayor of Little Rock Monday afternoon. Within forty minutes he personally called us back, while on vacation in Colorado! He said if Eyewitness News wanted a copy of his daily schedule, his assistant would be more than happy to e-mail or fax it!
This isn't the first time Mayor Herenton has disappeared during critical moments recently. Remember Hurricane Elvis?? While ordinary citizens were dealing with that crisis, Herenton went off to Little Rock where lawyers doing business with the city held a campaign fundraiser for him.
And this past fall, about the time the true depth of the city budget crisis was revealed. Herenton, again, mysteriously disappeared for several weeks. He still hasn't said where he was then.
:cursin: :wall: :banghead: :wtf: