Jim Folkner, with Citizens to Recall Mayor Littlefield, lashed out today in a press release against Mayor Ron Littlefield for raising money for his defense against recall efforts.
“Fifteen thousand people say Littlefield is going the wrong way,” Folkner wrote. “So he throws a party?”
Littlefield is holding a fundraising event tonight at the home of Capital Toyota dealer Bob McKamey. The event is $250-per-person and the mayor is trying to raise funds for his legal defense against a recall effort mounted last year.
Recallers said they gathered more than 15,000 votes to force a ballot question, but the effort was later shot down in General Sessions court.
The recallers have since filed an appeal and are awaiting a decision.
The press release also includes responses from others involved in wishing to recall the mayor, including the Chattanooga Tea Party and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers.
Detective Phil Grubb, president of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, said in the press release he is appalled the mayor is asking citizens to pay for his defense.
“It’s insulting when he claims he is not a wealthy man,” Grubb said. “He makes five times what the ordinary police officers are paid.”
For more information, read tomorrow’s edition of the Times Free Press.
Cliff has worked for the Times Free Press for five years and covers Chattanooga city government. He previously covered Rhea County, as well as transportation and growth and development in Southeast Tennessee. A native of Maryville, Tenn., Cliff graduated in 2003 from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on journalism. Before coming to Chattanooga, he was a crime reporter with Hernando Today, a supplement of The Tampa (Fla.) ...
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Recall groups wanting to oust Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield criticized him Thursday for hosting a $250 dinner to help him ...
For $250, Mayor Ron Littlefield will set you up with a dinner and a movie.
Party favors will include brown paper bags of taxpayer's money, toilet tissue City Charters, and a special showing of Ron's moving musical number, "The Tennessee Waltz" with backup singers Charles Love and William Cotton. A special appearance of La Tres Cucarachas Politicos (also known as the Chattanooga City Council, with tenor Manny Rico, baritone Jack Benson, and alto Sally Robinson direct from the enclave at Heritage Landing. Andrae McGary may or may not sing depending if his puppet strings can be untangled) with special guest conductor Blind Billy Cox.
Judge Hollinsoworth will have a dramatic reading of his grant of Ward Crutchfield's petition for citizenship. Tears of laughter will roll down your face as His Honor says, "he [Ward Crutchfield] "shows the character of a person of honesty, respectability and veracity." Please, no drinking during the judge's reading as it's impolite to do spit-takes, or fall down laughing your ass off.
Be sure and bring your wives and daughters for the presentation of the EEOC Award to Paul Page. Hugs and kisses are not optional.
Manny Rico will be the emcee for the event, so bring the kiddies and watch as Manny appears to magically separate his lips from the Mayor's posterior. Don't worry though folks, it's just an illusion.
Games will include "Pin the Tail on the Taxpayer", "Hide and Seek out the Smell of Corruption,", and "Passing the Cash under the Table." Prizes awarded for the best dressed bag-man.
In lieu of payola at the door, please send $2000.00 in unmarked tens and twenties to Lindsey Street, care of the "Bribery, Graft, and Thievery Fund for Crooked Politicians and Public Art", City Attorney McMahan, treasurer (so you know your tax dollars are safe).
Good times, Chattanooga. I can't wait!
"Lash out" is sensational choice of words for a reporter to use -- but then not provide us a copy of the press release to see for ourselves. The press release actually makes the point that the mayor's response of throwing a party instead of addressing the concerns of the 15,000 recallers is again the wrong response from a sitting mayor. The mayor has used various techniques to fight with or denigrate his recallers, including insults, allegations, the courts, now a fundraising party! That's one reason more people signed petitions to recall him than voted to elect him.
Explain please: Is Folkner upset because the Mayor chose to fight? If Folkner was really so concerned about the expense to the taxpayers why didn't he just allow the mayor's term in office to complete? After all, the mayor can't run again anyway.
It seems like Folkner is the one dy#king the taxpayers of Chattanooga, because he hates the mayor so much ,and is holding a personal grudge against him. Is he angry because the mayor didn't roll over and just blow away?
Chattanooga would be a whole lot better off if the mayor had just blown away.
I think Mr. Folkner is talking about the millions of dollars or city waste like $328.000 for the new city website or $750,000 the mayor spent on private drainage ditch on private property at the largest richest private country club in town, or $500,000 for his new history museum or $3.5 million for a new wellness center for city employees. Or $275,000 for his attorneys for the city budget for supposed city work. O heck just let me know if you want a few million more exposed. Also there’s the matter of the gas franchise fee (over $1,000,000) Littlefield just stuck us with. An election would cost a fraction of that
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