Linda Thompson — the mayor of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which has a statute banning sexuality-based discrimination — has a reputation for being a stubborn, aggrandizing official who’s unwilling to reach consensus if it means caving in on her opinion. Now she’s adding to that reputation: homophobic POS.
Chuck Ardo, the mayor’s now-former spokesman who quit last week, is revealing his ex-boss is obsessed with the sexuality of others. And not in a good way, the Patriot News reports.
Ardo, who resigned his city post last week, said in an interview Monday that Thompson regularly made pointed references to City Controller Dan Miller, one of her top political rivals, as “that homosexual, evil little man. “The comments usually came in the context of her ongoing war with Miller — the city’s first openly gay elected official — over issues related to the city payroll, or whether a contract would be signed, Ardo said. But it was the pairing of the words that left him seeing red. “She referred to him repeatedly as evil,” Ardo said, “And I can’t help but believe that that has more to do with her failure to accept his lifestyle than it did her political differences with him.”
But maybe she’s an equal opportunity offender? Well, sort of.
Ardo added that he never heard Thompson systematically engage in verbal gay-bashing around the office or make disparaging comments about any other constituency. But there were some other instances involving specific individuals that offend him, too, he said. In one case, after a conversation with an area developer last year about a hotly debated extension of Harrisburg’s tax relief for new construction, Thompson talked about the “Israel money” he was bringing to town, Ardo said. Ardo said he was taken aback at how she would describe the Jewish developer. “Having grown up the son of Holocaust survivors, that comment has stuck out to me since the moment she made it,” Ardo said.
Certainly Thompson is going to deny everything and call her ex flack a liar, right? Nope. Instead, in a prepared statement, she didn’t deny any of Ardo’s claims about the words she used, but insisted she wasn’t some big hater everyone is making her out to be: “I have a passion for all people and have surrounded myself with a diverse group of people, both in my personal and professional life. Those who have a relationship with me, both personally and professionally, know that I care about our city and all people. Chuck Ardo may say what he wants, but the people elected me as mayor and I will faithfully discharge my duties and let the people decide.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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Just 13 months on the job, Thompson is now looking for her fourth spokesperson. Preferably no “homosexual, evil little men.”
GayGOP
Linda Thompson is a nut who took an already bankrupt city and wanted to tax people who do not live in the City of Harrisburg, but worked in the City of Harrisburg.
It does not surprise me that she’s a homophobic nut. The people of Harrisburg who voted for her deserve what they got. The nearly 50% of the rest of the residents of Harrisburg, however, are getting screwed. Hopefully somebody will run against her and vote her out.
aalan brickman
Nice to know we can go after black women who are so “oppressed by the white man”…what a hater!!
Huh?
Wait, a negress is telling white people they aren’t good enough?
Let the people vote about segregation!
Let the people vote about slavery!
Jim Hlavac
And whey doesn’t Queerty mention that almost certain the lady is a Democrat. Or is this one of the few African-American Republicans? I’m a fan of neither party. But the Democrat’s anti-gay stuff should be aired at the dirty laundry it is.
Is she’s a Republican I’d be in shock. Will I need smelling salts?
ewe
Is there a fundamenalist religious belief somewhere on someones part by chance?
Fred
The fact that this woman, who has been elected to public office as a representative of the people of Harrisburg (which I’m certain has some gay residents)would make such a statement while at work–no matter what the context of the situation–deems that a public apology by her (to gay men in general) is absolutely necessary. No matter what her personal biases are, she was elected to public office as a representative of ALL Harrisburg residents…including but not limited to,”that homosexual evil little man.”
DR
@Jim Hlavac:
Linda Thompson is a Democrat.
Sexy Rexy
@Huh?: What? Was that necessary?
Tom
It is not uncommon for cities to impose a tax on people who work in the city, as they impose a large burden for infrastructure. Do you think residents use the areas immediately around the capital complex? Of course not.
Most large cities do this, including Philadelphia.
Still, not a big Thompson fan … does little to work with people, and expect she’ll be voted out of office.