Michelle Malkin » Rumor: Democrat mayor of Atlantic City, still missing, to resign over phony military claims

Rumor: Democrat mayor of Atlantic City, still missing, to resign over phony military claims

By Michelle Malkin • October 8, 2007 01:45 AM

The Atlantic City Press, my hometown newspaper, has been all over the story of Democrat AC mayor Bob Levy–accused phony military benefits claimant and Special Forces fraudster. Levy disappeared from public view 12 days ago. The city has no clue on his whereabouts. The Crush Rush Democrats are silent on the matter. Here’s the latest twist in the story of South Jersey’s own Jesse MacBeth:

The possible whereabouts of Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy continue to make national news, including top billing Saturday on AOL’s list of news stories, fueling additional media focus on his mysterious absence.

Major news organizations such as Fox News and NPR also are planning coverage into next week.

Levy vanished from public life Sept. 26, the day he signed seven ordinances and city officials said he transferred power to city Business Administrator Domenic Cappella. Officials, his family and his lawyer have refused to say where he is, claiming privacy regulations that experts say do not apply.

Levy’s disappearance came amid resignation rumors tied to an ongoing federal investigation into military decorations and whether the military allowed Levy to claim benefits to which he was otherwise unentitled.

In November, the 20-year Army veteran admitted to The Press of Atlantic City that he was never a member of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces, despite years of claims that included his 2005 campaign.

In January, The Press reported that federal investigators were probing his records.

The AC Press downplays Levy’s political affiliation, noting that he switched parties from Republican to Democrat in 2004. Newsflash: A D is a D is a D.

The NYTimes takes 13 paragraphs before mentioning Levy’s political affiliation. (hat tip- JWF.)

Meanwhile, Fox News reports:

Speculation is rampant that Atlantic City Mayor Robert Levy will resign this week. A city official who does not want to be named told FOX News that Levy’s departure could come on Tuesday or Wednesday.

But state Sen. James Sonny McCullough said he has been given no indication that Levy will quit.

Levy called in sick to work a week and half ago and has since disappeared. With his resignation, “this circus will come to an end,” the official said.

Oh, I doubt that.

***

Related: Atlantic City is a basket case.

Related II: Dafydd at Big Lizards catalogues some phony soldiers and divides them up into a helpful taxonomy.

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#1

On October 8th, 2007 at 2:21 am, a crapweasel said:

LOL @ phony special forces soldier.
#2

On October 8th, 2007 at 2:30 am, Armigerous said:

Aw,geez…yet ANOTHER Democrat caught pretending he was Captain Johnny Combat to get himself elected….he must have thought that Senator Live Shot more or less got away with it that he could to
#3

On October 8th, 2007 at 2:33 am, 29Victor said:

It seems that the Lefties who are most proud of their military records are those who don’t have any.
#4

On October 8th, 2007 at 5:16 am, gunslingerpatriot said:

I hate to be “Obviousman” in this situation, but its painfully obvious that most democrats can only use military service as either a campain tool in the least, or a punchline to their fundraisers in the worse…

Obviousman (aka GSP)
#5

On October 8th, 2007 at 7:05 am, ajmontana said:

Sure is alot of folks claiming to be war hero’s to gain respect, then when a true Hero shows up to report on Iraq he gets none.
#6

On October 8th, 2007 at 7:44 am, hunkahillbilly said:

You know…I wondered the same thing about the Blackwater thingy! The video of the “Blackwater” operatives shooting civilians at random just doesn’t make sense. It had to have been a ploy by Al-Quaeda!
#7

On October 8th, 2007 at 7:47 am, Dandapani said:

I wonder what Rush has to say about this…. LOL!
#8

On October 8th, 2007 at 8:08 am, TMoney said:

Whether Democrat, Repulican or Global Warmer Party, anyone who lies about military sevice, in any fashion, has to be a blithering idiot.
The military keeps really good records, to my knowledge, and they never throw anything away! To lie about an issue so easily researched…is it idiocy? Or chutzpah? (Is that really a word)?
I pick frigging idiot.
#9

On October 8th, 2007 at 8:15 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

Well, it seems that all one has to do is do a little research into the background of any Democrap who claims to have a military record and there is bound to be a scandal…
Oh what tangle web we weave.
#10

On October 8th, 2007 at 8:19 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

tangled web
#11

On October 8th, 2007 at 8:20 am, meatpieandtatters said:

Hey Harry! Why so mute? The stench of hypocrisy is so overwhelming I understand Reid is passing legislation to increase the budget for the importation of flies.
#12

On October 8th, 2007 at 8:38 am, JammieWearingFool said:

Thanks for the link, Michelle.

BTW, Rush did indeed mention this story last Thursday. I suspect he may have a follow up.
#13

On October 8th, 2007 at 8:48 am, On-my-soap-box said:

lgm giving us a line about President not being a vet in 5…4…3…
#14

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:13 am, Bill DeFelice said:

I read he was a Republican,before a democRAT.Who cares? His true persona came to light.Was his 20 year Army life so bad he had to liven it up with lies?
Where is Dan I’de Rather not,on this one?
#15

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:13 am, Boomer said:

I guess I should learn how to embellish on my Military service. I could run for Larry Craig’s Senate seat.
#16

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:18 am, Gothguy said:

As a veteran, I have never felt the need to embellish my 10 years of military service, therefore I have great disdain for those that do.
#17

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:19 am, LarryD said:

TMoney (#8), Yep, “chutzpah” really is a word, derived from Yiddish.

1892, from Yiddish khutspe “impudence, gall” from Heb. hutspah. The classic definition is that given by Leo Rosten: “that quality enshrined in a man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan.”
#18

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:29 am, On-my-soap-box said:

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:18 am, Gothguy said:
As a veteran, I have never felt the need to embellish my 10 years of military service, therefore I have great disdain for those that do.

I am not a vet and I have a great disdain as well. You vets are the best. You fakes are a disgrace.

GOD Bless our vets!
#19

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:35 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

Larry “Happy Feet” Craig…I just wanted to say that…
#20

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:38 am, DesertLover said:

Gothguy

10 years here as well … this stuff has reached a point of being measured right at the ridiculous level on my “idiometer” (idiocy detection meter) … makes me wonder how many more of our current DC representation could stand up to real scrutiny over their supposed military service …
#21

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:46 am, iamsaved said:

Democrats: Meet an honest to goodness “phony” soldier (a Democrat no less) since you said you’d never seen any when Rush Limbaugh brought them up. Yep, they do exist.

I wonder how many more times people like Harry Reid are going to open their big mouths only to subsequently appear as the fools they really are? The bigger question though is how many times will it take for the public to make them eat their words!
#22

On October 8th, 2007 at 10:18 am, geminicontender said:

I think as we keep delving into these corruptocrats or phony soldiers Michelle, you should post the phone numbers or fax numbers to people like Dingy Harry, Harkins, Murtha and Pelosi so that we may remind them…..
Also, I understand that today Hillary brought Sandy Berger back on board. When will we get rid of this group?
#23

On October 8th, 2007 at 10:19 am, docflash said:

when my Reserve unit deployed last year I dont think any of us had medals or heroics in mind,we went to Landstuhl and took care of the wounded and sick.The only fighting we did was over what German beer we were going to drink after work.
#24

On October 8th, 2007 at 11:18 am, radio relay said:

It makes me sick!!

I know men from my war, Vietnam, and the current war, who have suffered the most grievous of injuries. It’s bad enough that the phonies steal the valor of those real Vets, but many of these fakes also scam benefits. The fake Vets that scam money benefits from the VA (and elsewhere), are taking it form these Veterans who actually deserve it, and desperately need it.

I just can’t imagine the type of person that would be so low as to seek to acquire monetary and property benefit, as well as honor and respect, by claiming valorous awards they have not earned.

The sad thing is that they are everywhere, and too many believe them.
#25

On October 8th, 2007 at 12:32 pm, thebronze said:

I’ll be the last guy to defend this moron from Atlantic City, but…

This guy is no Jesse McBeth. He served 20 yrs of honorable service in the Army. He’s not a “phony soldier”. He was a real soldier.

He apparently had a fairly distinguished military, so I don’t know why he felt the need to lie and say that he was in the Special Forces, when he wasn’t.

He may have lied about what he did, but he’s far from a phony soldier or a Jesse McBeth.

Would you call Adm. Jeremy Boorda a phony soldier? Would you call him a Jesse McBeth? That guy killed himself because of ONE ribbon that he wore incorrectly. How about we all keep this in perspective and at least give the guy SOME respect for a 20 year military career.
#26

On October 8th, 2007 at 12:34 pm, thebronze said:

Added to correct:

He apparently had a fairly distinguished military career, so I don’t know why he felt the need to lie and say that he was in the Special Forces, when he wasn’t.

Sorry…
#27

On October 8th, 2007 at 2:52 pm, Gothguy said:

The issue as I see it is not whether this individual served honorably or is a ‘phony’, the issue as I see it is embellishing one’s military record.
#28

On October 8th, 2007 at 3:13 pm, iamsaved said:

thebronze said

“…I don’t know why he felt the need to lie and say that he was in the Special Forces, when he wasn’t…”

You hit the nail on the head. He lied. Does it matter whether he had 20 years of honorable service or 44 days like Jesse McBeth? Does the length of service diminish the lie?

I’m sure Benedict Arnold had a distinguished military career up to the point he committed treason. Who remembers those years? We only remember the transgression.
#29

On October 8th, 2007 at 3:43 pm, blacktygrrrr said:

Has anybody checked the Casinos?

I know many people who have lost everything in Atlantic City, including themselves.

If the Mayor did hightail it out of town, I hope for his own safety that Governor John Corzine was not driving the car.

eric

http://www.blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com
#30

On October 8th, 2007 at 9:42 pm, radio relay said:

Boorda had a Combat Action Ribbon that he did not earn. A CAR for the Navy, and the Marine Corps is equivalent to a Combat Infantry Badge. In the Corps it’s probably the most respected award, the awards for valor in combat and Purple Heart. It says you have been under hostile enemy fire and participated in a combat action. Wearing an unauthorized CAR isn’t the same as wearing a fire-watch ribbon.

Accounts I’ve read about Levy, is that he evidently claimed to be a Green Beret, to qualify for some kind of special loan that was available to Green Berets only. Evidently, claiming Green Beret status was also a central theme of his campaigns. Even if one were a seasoned Grunt Infantryman, and had experienced beau coup combat, a Soldier has to get through grueling training to claim Green Beret status.

When I was in Vietnam, I served in a support role with 3rd Force Recon Co. (a Marine unit with similar prestige as the Green Berets). In performing my duties I was under fire at times, BUT… I was never a Recon Marine. To claim so, would be disrespectful, and dishonorable.

The whole point is honor. A central theme of military service is honor. To claim that which you did not earn for the purpose of personal gain, or respect, is unethical, and not honorable.

Ribbons, badges, and medals, and the training you go through to achieve acceptance into elite units may seem like trivial things to the uninitiated. Not so, to those who have paid the price to earn them!

If someone is so shamed that they commit suicide, because it was discovered that they stole the valor of others… well so be it!

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