Dear Lukey,
I was going to apologize, I was.
You see, a few days ago, a reader came to me and said, “I heard Luke is going to Mardi Gras.” To which I responded, “YOU LIE! No way.” Problem was, this reader is well-connected and told me about your separation from your wife THREE WEEKS before it hit the news. So I took a wait and see approach. Today rolled around and I said, “Gee. I wonder if the Mayor is around or if he really did leave town.”
I emailed the Dread Lord a day or so ago and asked him if you were leaving town to head to New Orleans. The Dread Lord never responded, and he ALWAYS responds to my emails. That gave me pause. So I emailed around to some media and other connected people. Some had heard the rumor too and couldn’t find you. Council was looking for you to sign something and THEY couldn’t find you. I asked twitter. “HAS ANYONE SEEN THE MAYOR IN PITTSBURGH?!”
No one had. Even Yarone wasn’t around and your press secretary claimed to the media that she didn’t know where you were but that she knew you were in Pittsburgh.
This is all happening at about 10:30 this morning, but the media started asking questions about your whereabouts last night around 6:00 p.m.!
This goes on until 4:00 p.m today. That was about 22 hours that the word was out that Council was looking for you and no one knew where you were. You’re mayor. You don’t just disappear like that. Seemed fishy. And keep in mind, Mr. Mayor, that the reason these questions were being asked was due in part to the fact that you weren’t around during Snowmageddon. And now, here we are, one week later, and no one can find you. WHERE IS THE MAYOR NOW, the city and the media and the bloggers asked.
Finally, you called a press conference, popped your head out to say, “I’m here. I’ve been here. I’ve been working and I’m PISSED.”
If it had ended there, I’d be writing an apology to you because you were just out doing your job and were unreachable or just didn’t have time to respond to the media and council asking where you were.
But it didn’t end there. You said:
“I was here,” Mr. Ravenstahl said. “I did three things today. I responded to your ridiculous inquiries. I drove around the city of Pittsburgh and did an evaluation of the streets and how they looked. And I spent the majority of my time with the public safety director” discussing the death of a Hazelwood man whose companion repeatedly called for an ambulance during the snow emergency.
Asked why his staff did not disclose his whereabouts, the mayor said the information was withheld “just to kind of prove a point, that you all need to be more responsible.”
No, you DIDN’T respond to those ridiculous inquiries. All of this could have been avoided if you had just bothered to just let your press secretary say, “The Mayor is not available to sign the document because he is meeting with the public safety director.” End of story. See ya later, Mayor.
But that didn’t happen. She did not disclose your whereabouts. She lied and said she didn’t know where you were and the reason she said that is because you WERE INTENTIONALLY WITHHOLDING THAT INFORMATION FROM THE MEDIA.
“To kind of prove a point.”
You weren’t just out there working. You weren’t unreachable. You were aware that you were being sought. You did this on purpose. You could have made it all go away with one little phone call, but you didn’t. You decided you didn’t owe the media, or the people of Pittsburgh an answer as to where you were. You decided to just not tell them. You let the uproar build and build and build just so you could pop your head out and be all, “YOU PEOPLE ARE RIDICULOUS.”
What you did was kind of like a mother hiding in the closet from her children, watching as they get more scared by the minute, waiting until they start crying, and then poking her head out to YELL AT THEM FOR CRYING.
You’re the MAYOR. You have to show up and when you don’t show up you have to actually give a reason for it when the media asks where you were in lieu of showing up. When you know there’s a rumor that you’re in New Orleans and you know people are looking for you, you pick up your stupid phone, you text your press secretary and you say, “Let them know where I’m at. Will answer questions shortly.”
Something, ANYTHING to quell the uproar and stop the questions.
You had that power. The power was in YOUR hands this entire time to put a stop to the questions of your whereabouts. It is because of YOUR actions that it got as bad as it did. It was your decisions. Your silence. You. All you.
You don’t get to be angry at people for reacting to a situation you MANUFACTURED on purpose all by yourself. You don’t get to lash out at the media for their “ridiculousness” in daring to ask where the elected Mayor has been all freaking day.
You decided to “prove a point.” What point you thought you were proving, I can never hope to know. That the media asks questions and when the questions aren’t answered they keep searching for answers? That you don’t answer to anyone? That you can do what you want and no one should question it?
I put forth, Mr. Mayor, that in light of your past issues with “showing up” and in light of you not being here for the blizzard and in light of how long you were off the radar, the media would have been IRRESPONSIBLE if they weren’t asking the questions they asked and continue to ask.
I put forth that the only point you really proved is that it’s not the media that acted irresponsibly here. It was you.
Yours,
Me.
Category: Mayor Ravenstahl | tags: Luke Ravenstahl |
February 16, 2010
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ShareThis
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Eileen Says:
Well said!
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Bojack Says:
NOW can he go partay in NOL??
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Jennifer Melnick Carota Says:
“To kind of prove a point.” SERIOUSLY?!?!? That comment is beyond disturbing. Thank you for always telling it like it is, Ginny. I raise my glass to you!
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SusanV Says:
He is a child. But we all knew that already.
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Noe Says:
that man makes me shake my head….
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PA Girl in VA Says:
Yeah, what SHE said!
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bigslacker Says:
so…..who is this Lukey guy anyways? Seems like a real jagoff.
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jmarie Says:
i wonder while he was out driving around inspecting the streets if he saw how bad the sidewalks are. actually they arent’ sidewalks they are garbage dumps for all the branches down. or maybe he stood there and laughed at the people who are falling down trying to get off of buses.
hey lukey about redistributing the work force for all those sanitary waste managers who aren’t collecting our garbage to do some snow cleanup. just a thought!
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Neesie Says:
You go Ginny!
He is an embarrassment and an immature, egotistical douche. I weep for my city.
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Christine Says:
Yep, what you said. (And I’m usually an apologist for the Mayor.)
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BethH Says:
All kinds of yes! Even the suprmemely kind jon delano verbally slapped him. How can we endure (survive) 4 more years of this?
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L-A Says:
And the winner of the gold medal for kicking serious mayor ass iiiiiissss….the toughest bitch in the ‘burgh….Virginia Montanez!
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Nate Bishop Says:
A) It’s called transparency. He’s a public official, not a CEO of a privately held company.
B) I’m beginning to think you may be right, that it was completely manufactured, in the truest sense of the the word – rumors, Facebook clues, disappearing, hiding
C) The problem is that we – Pittsburghers, the media, normal sane adults (myself being only a wet-behind-the-ears 29) – were so READY to believe this – that, while amazing, would not have been out of the realm of possibility for the boy mayor. Isn’t that the real problem?
So this was all to show that he and his office have no plan to embrace the reality that is today’s media. AND THIS IS FROM A YOUNG MAN! I’d expect this type of pushback from an older, almost excusably out-of-touch, mayor, that has gone up through the ranks of “old-style” politics, and reluctant to embrace the new newsday, but, Christ on a crutch, he’s 30 (AND A WEEK!) – he should embrace, love, THRIVE on things like being connected and transparency. Typical born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.
Unbelievable.
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MessyDee Says:
City residents (and non residents for that matter) need to stop putting up with this nonsense and start holding him accountable. If a non-elected (job secure) employee pulled this stunt they’d be fired. There should be a “Luke Watch” website / blog from this day forward until he is out of office. Can you imagine? He’d totally cry.
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Dana Says:
What Ravenstahl doesn’t realize is all of his shady absenses are leading to some pretty nasty rumors (worse than skipping town for Mardi Gras). The way he acted at the press conference leads me to believe he is hiding something, because, like Ginny said, he didn’t “respond to your ridiculous inquiries.” If he doesn’t want the media or his constituents to theorize about his whereabouts, then he needs to stop disappearing.
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KGC Says:
To all those in the City who think they’ll be sent to Hell twice over if they pull the R lever..
“He’s 30. He’s Democrat. And, he’s yours!”
[Apologies to Ringo Starr.. "You're 16. You're beautiful. And, you're mine!"]
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PA Girl in VA Says:
Last time we read about a high-profile elected official ‘disappearing’, we found out that the governor of SC had been in Argentina having an affair. Lukey, so not cool!
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Mark Says:
Is it time to impeach this petulant bitch. He gave us all a big fuck off today and last week when the storms hit, time to give him the same. He should have been bounced when he lied that he couldn’t attend G-20 meetings because of other work while he was pretending he belonged as Steelers camp.
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Liz Says:
G-20. Beating up kids on the Pitt campus. Taxing universities. The big 30-ieth birthday. Blitzing the city . . . 6 days after the snow fell. Dumb is dumb, regardless of party and of age.
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Memory Lane Says:
The Mayor of Pittsburgh must have been trying to prove a point here too.
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Anthony Says:
He never denied being in New Orleans, now did he? Hmmm? Huh? He never said, “I was not in New Orleans.” Hmmm? Huh? Hmmm?
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letsgostillers Says:
yeah the prospect of him intentionally setting this up is pretty douchey, and i am not a fan of him at ALL, BUT to hold him to a 24/7 watch is a little ridiculous. if i call off sick, my employer doesn’t show up at my door with news cameras. granted, he didn’t call off sick; however, if i am at work and doing my job and unreachable because i am dealing with important issues, there is not going to be a company-wide outcry. i think his point was well founded, even if he was a baby about it.
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Different Brian Says:
All of this silliness – the NOLA visit that wasn’t, the “we’ll plow better next time” that wasn’t, the tuition tax that was almost, and whatever numerous stupidities await us — they’ll all be forgotten come next election when Lukey rolls out the same commercial of him driving his car around town (he should have a learner’s permit next election) talking about how he loves being mayor. All the ill tempered cute fist shaking bloggers and informed citizens can’t change the inertia of a democrat machine. Richard Daley Jr looks upon Pittsburgh and nods in approval.
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Bojack Says:
If the job, his job, was getting done, there would be no outcry!
The 911 system was supposed to be overhauled after they failed
to tell Pgh PD that the guy in Stanton heights was heavily armed
and instead sent 3 officers to their deaths!So today, Lukey was doing PR damage control strategy (instead of systemic repair) with “Safety” Director Robert McCaughan.
Wonderful!One party city!! You re-elected this joke, AND
pay him $100K to do it!
Live with it voters!!
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Ms Lee Says:
Ginny, this should be at the top of every editorial page in every Pittsburgh publication. I don’t know about you, but if I didn’t show up for work without notifying anyone, my job would be in serious jeopardy. I guarantee I would be fired if I told my boss he was being ‘ridiculous’ about wanting to know my whereabouts!
Our elected officials need to be reminded that we’re paying their salaries – we have every right to ask where they are and what they’re doing when they’re on the clock!
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Mayor Luke Doggy Dogg Says:
Whut up, ya’ll?
All ya’ll can kiss tha Lukey’s ass! I ain’t got to tell anyone shit! I’m tha mothafuckin’ man up in this cit-tay!
I don’t report to no mofo’s up in here.
I get me free tickets, transportation, and security to Penguins, Pirates, Steeler games (and free cover charge at Club Erotica but keep that on the DL, know what I’m sayin?)
I got me a sweet ass pimp ride from homeland security to blaze up in my streets.
This is what ya’ll gotta understand. I’m tha Lukey. If I want to, I’ll pull my draws down, squat, and take a big smelly dookie on Grant Street. What are you gonna do? Nothin! I’m tha man!
I know I said in 2008 I’d make the city’s snow response better. I said a lot of shit to get elected. Know what I’m sayin?
I went snowmageddon on Chancellor Nordenberg’s ass. We’ll see next time he wants to publicly front on tha Lukey about givin’ tha cit-tay mo’ money. Next time, I’ll make sure it’ll be two weeks before I send public works to clear off the streets of Oakland.
Guess what you can suck on ya’ll?
Deez nuhhhtz…!
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Maggie Tucker Says:
Seriously, what grounds are necessary to start looking at impeachment?
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Mr Chumbley Says:
I think it’s obvious – he was out Hiking the Appalachian trail. Or maybe some of those trails in Riverview Park that are being rehabbed.
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cathy Says:
The man-child mayor is acting like the child he is… what do we expect.
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bucdaddy Says:
Thank God I live in West Virginia. Every state’s citizens think their politicians are the worst, but we have NOTHING on yours. NOTHING!
Congratulations! You win.
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Megan Says:
So he was trying to prove a point. What point? That the media is irresponsible?
My next question…why? The media have been glued to him this past week, what with following him around riding on salt trucks, taking calls, getting bitched at by grandmas and all the like.
Why would he suddenly feel the need to “prove them irresponsible?”
All anger at his douchey-ness aside, this is one big WTF?! Call me stupid, but none of his reasonings make any sense. At all.
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jmarinara Says:
Please people, give it a rest. This is making a mountain out of a mole-hill.
I honestly fail to see why it was such a big story to begin with. What, the council had a bill to be signed? Ok. Did it get signed? Was someone going to die if he didn’t sign it right then and there? Does the mayor make public appearances everyday?
Quick! Where’s Barrack Obama right now? OMG, MAYBE HE’S PARTYING IN HAVANA!!! WHY THAT IMMATURE JERK!! I DON’T KNOW WHERE HE IS SO IT MUST BE BAD AND HE MUST BE IN THE WRONG!!!
Give me a break.
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The_Game Says:
That’s what you get for voting him in, yinzers. Now you complain????
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USair Says:
So its confirmed that his chief of staff, campaign manager and friend were all in NOLA for fat tuesday http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_667513.html.
Ginny,
i am sure one of your readers works for the airlines and could pull up flights to New Orleans (i’d check flights out of cleveland) and get you the passenger manifests. Unless he is Col. Jessep (a few good men) i am sure even though he’s mayor he can’t make a flight disappear. If he was going, he paid for a ticket and that record exists. I am sure you could get someone to furnish that list, or you could get a couple of guys who work the ramp at PIT to confirm the flight existed. Then ask him if he ordered the code red. -
USair Says:
he may not have gone, but he was scheduled to, then the shit hit the fan and he scrubbed the mission came back home and acted like a little kid. someone who works for the airlines can confirm he was listed on a flight.
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Bojack Says:
I want to know why what passes for “mainstream” journalism/media in our Burgh isn’t
HAMMERING Lukey & Danny for this 911
outrage!Weren’t 3 dead police officers enough for a real wake-up
call as opposed to the usual lick-and-a-promise??Wrongful death litigation is going to top the list of Pittsburgh
growth industries! -
Bojack Says:
@jmarinara-
Which Lukey flunky are you???
Comparisons to BHO aren’t doing his Lukeystick any favors!!
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Rage Against the Demcratic Machine Says:
Two words: GROW UP.
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windy city steel city Says:
For these little zingers that our blog hostess offers, I suggest a new term. Knowing what fan of The Big Bang she is, how about BAVIRGINIA! instead of bazinga.
The Boy Mayor is truly a boy. Does he take his ball and go home too? Kid swim is over, adult time in the pool.
sheesh, what a marroon. -
Brighton Heights Jim Says:
First off, *I* didn’t vote for him…never have.
Second, I DO want to know what kind of underwear he has on :-/
Third, the only thing I can hope for is that people remember this in 3.5 years from now.
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SpudMom Says:
Re: Reports that The Dread Lord Zober et al were in New Orleans yesterday I can only assume that they think we’re all really dumb. Yarone and Lukey are to peas in a pod – never one without the other. Do they really think we’ll believe that Lukey stayed behind while Zober went out to play?
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SpudMom Says:
Gah. that should read “two peas in a pod.” Sorry, folks.
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Emilie Says:
AMEN!
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TripleC Says:
This guy (kid) is a complete joke. Has the maturity of an 18 year old and that was crystal clear yesterday. But don’t worry wittle wukey…fortunately for you, you are in Pgh AND a democrat already in office so the job is your until you die or resign.
So Wukey the moral of the story is to go ho-trolling once the weather clears and that pesky state of emergency thingy is no longer a concern.
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butcher's dog Says:
One of the ongoing themes seems to be: “How can we live with four more years of this?” Which makes me wonder… I’m starting to think there won’t be four more years. If the heat got too hot for Tiger Woods, it may get too hot for your (sorry…I don’t live in the burg) mayor. Either voluntarily (he could tell you all where to put the shit) or involuntarily (talk of impeachment), someone else could be the incumbent come next muni elections. Just a thought. Nixon didn’t stick around long enough to be removed by impeachment, as I recall.
(Anal person note: “impeach” means bringing the action. Slick Willie Clinton had impeachment against him. “Removal from office” is a legal action brought as a result of the impeachment.)
And @ L-A: I’d be careful about using the word “bitch” and Ginny’s name in the same sentence! Woman could turn on you and it wouldn’t be pretty.
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SadDay Says:
1) All PGH meteorologists said the initial storm was going to bring 4-8 inches to the area (higher totals in the higher elevations). 4-8 inches is not snowmageddon. It was not known how bad things were until Saturday morning so the media and bloggers who continue to say Lukey “skipped town during snowmageddon” are 100% wrong. If the forecast called 20-25 inches and he left town before that, yes, he could then be called out.
2) Why are pictures of Lukey at a bar/restaurant that someone stole from facebook/myspace okay to put up on the 11:00 news or on a blog? The decision makers that put these up every time should not have the right to jump to conclusions and write whatever they want because someone took photos with people with a Bud Light in the background.
3) If it comes out that Lukey was going to NOLA, who cares? Because some weasel with weird glasses incorrectly thinks he has to sign a piece of paper?
I’m not saying the mayor is a perfect guy. He has made mistakes. But the media/blogging world has been out to get him from day one because he was elected in his 20s.
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SpudMom Says:
@SadDay
First, I can only assume you’re one of Lukey’s minions. That aside, I want to respond to your question about the pictures.
If they were on a public My Space or Facebook page then the Mayor has no reasonable expectation of privacy as far as those pictures are concerned. If they’re on a site that anyone can view, there’s nothing wrong or illegal about news organizations using them.
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SadDay Says:
Not a minion at all. I did vote for him though. I wasn’t saying that there is something illegal about whoever uses them. I just think it is over the top. The snoop dog picture, bar pictures. The pictures lead the public to believe something that may not be true. For example, most are taking a trip to Seven Springs as a drunken excursion. I am more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he likes to ski?
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Pittsburgh Perambulations Says:
Ginny for mayor! Ginny for mayor!!!
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chrys Says:
Lukey needs to put his big boy on and deal with the questions. It isn’t wise that a public official go AWOL for a day, then get pissed when he is asked about it. This isn’t the time to play games with the press. I think it was all a set-up so he could go off on the press. If I were the reporter he went off on about wanting to see his underpant I’d have said “absolutely.. let’s see ‘em, moron”
He is a gigantic asshole.. -
Jake Says:
@SadDay (et al): You’re missing the point. As an elected official presiding over an American constituency, we own him. Yes, he’s entitled to privacy in his personal life, but this is far from “personal.” Had he wanted to take a day off I think most everybody would have been happy to hear his spokesperson say “Luke took PTO today, but we know where he is and can get in touch with him if necessary.”
Did he do that? No. He vanished without so much as a sentence of explanation on a day that an emergency declaration needs extended, and then mysteriously appears (after nearly a day) all petulantly pissed off that we – his effective employers – were asking questions.
Bull shit.
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Bojack Says:
@SadDay-
You are obviously either:
1) On Lukey’s staff
2) A Lukey relative
3) On the Dem Committeeno matter which- suck a dick!!
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LaReina Says:
Lukey is the eternal frat boy. As noted above, all it that was necessary to elect an adult was to vote “R” for a change (CHANGE being the operative word).
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Neesie Says:
The most depressing thing about this whole situation is that the nothing will ever change in Pittsburgh. As long as there is a D next to a politician’s name, they will be elected, whether they are qualified or not. If you have a R, I, X, Y, or, Z, your campaign is a losing proposition.
It’s time to give another party a shot at the job. Some new ideas wouldn’t kill us, and at worst, we will be in the same sinking boat that we are in right now.
Everyone knew that Luke Ravenstahl was nowhere close to being qualified for the job when he was elected, but people voted for him anyway. Yes, the other options in the general election sucked, but he won the primary, too.
If you actually went out and voted for him in the primary or general election, or worse yet, didn’t bother voting at all, quit your complaining, because you are part of problem.
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The Hamburgular Says:
Ginny, I think we will look back on this episode as the turning point in Luke Ravenstahl’s mayoral tenure. He has cast the “ridiculous” media as the enemy, a strategy that might work if he were a populist, but that’s not who he is. Having been called out, you don’t think the media will come at him with everything they’ve got?
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Dan (Not Onarato) Says:
I agree with the earlier post in saying that there were shenanigans afoot…he was doing something or was somewhere where he shouldnt have been.
Great post Ginny!
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TripleC Says:
@ Nessie – very well said. Unfortunately, and as we all know, the unions in W. PA (and PA in general) have all too much “influence” on elections in the state and unless Wukey does anything short of associating the Rooney’s with Satan he probably has the most secure job in the county. Sad, but probably true.
My hunch is we’re stuck with boy-wonder for quite some time.
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Dana Says:
The fact is, is Ravenstahl were a good mayor this wouldn’t have happened. There’s nothing wrong with someone taking a “mental health day,” although doing so as an elected official is probably not the best idea. Regardless, Lukey disappeared and the media naturally asked questions. However, if he hadn’t messed up A LOT in the past few months/years/his entire life, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. Ravenstahl is so irresponsible that the media believed that he was going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras when he was needed in the city. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. Either way, everyone thought he was capable of skipping town. He’s made some mistakes and was still re-elected. Now, people are watching him closely and he is expected to take full accountibility for his actions. He needs to step up.
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bucdaddy Says:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!
ahhhh …
(ahem)
hehehehehehehehahahahahaha
ahhhhh …
(ahem)
mmmmmhmmmm
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Baba Wawa Says:
@SadDay – you are totally wrong about the forecast…i clearly remember hearing friday afternoon a weather bulletin that changed the snow amounts to “significant”….our mayor is putting his personal wants/needs ahead of the city’s and that is not right
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Carpetbagger Says:
Lukey saw that the Pittsburgh public schools were on a delayed start, and he just assumed that went for him as well. If this keeps on going, he’s going to have to work a couple of extra days at the beginning of summer break just to make up for it!
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LukeysMom Says:
My boy wonder the mayor was having a temper tantrum over the media so I gave him timeout in the corner. He was in his super-spidey underoos playing with his toy trucks and sand muttering something about the damn snow… Please excuse him for his 24 hour absence.
LukeysMom
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hello haha narf Says:
i really hope you seriously consider running for mayor. lots of us would happily pull a lever for you.
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Bojack Says:
@Hamburgalur-
“… media come at him with everything they’ve got?”
Are you joking???
Our local media is soo in the bag, and soo gutless they would
either simply not cover or make apologies for home invaders who raped and killed their own grandmothers!! -
Bojack Says:
Jon Delano should replace Fred Rogers!!!
Where are the microphones in the face DEMANDING to know
how this 911 travesty took place before the corpses of 3 police officers are even cold?? Promised 911 overhaul???KDKA, Post Gazette, Trib simply print the official press releases and claim they’ve “covered” the news!!!
Excuse me while I puke!
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SpudMom Says:
@Bojack – and that is one of the reasons it’s so sad to see print media die. They can’t afford to do more than just print what’s handed to them because they don’t have the manpower.
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Bojack Says:
Jon Delano has cachet and access!!!!!
Every one of the name “reporters” also!!!
The editorial staffs set the tone!!
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Bojack Says:
Maybe KDKA needs a political reporter who isn’t related to FDR
and a member of the DNC? -
eileen Says:
Everybody involved in this whole mess are acting like children.
Lukey, was totally wrong.
City Council, was wrong. They heard he was going to be out of town. They used signing of bill as an excuse to nab him. THey knew he didn’t need to sign it. They set the whole plan in motion. Knew the press would eat it up and Lukey would act like a jerk.
Everyone fell for it.
I’m sooo sick of Pittsburgh Democratic politics. -
spoon Says:
Come on people we know he was doing something important, he was getting randy back on DVE to save a sinking ship. Mayor Lukey Baumannstahl!
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Pay to Play Says:
The trip to NOLA is not as important to me as this
Doven acknowledged Ravenstahl rented a condominium at Seven Springs for his birthday outing from Jim Scalo, a real estate developer who donated thousands to the mayor’s re-election campaign.Scalo, a co-owner of Burns and Scalo roofing and commercial real estate companies, is developing a high-rise apartment complex on Smithfield Street, Downtown, and recently acquired the former Goodwill headquarters in the South Side with plans to turn it into a 90-unit apartment building with first-floor retail space. Scalo could not be reached for comment.
Ravenstahl said the visit was “wholly appropriate, legal and ethical. Any assertion otherwise is nothing more than flat out wrong or sensationalism.”
Doven said Ravenstahl paid for the condo and the rental was in line with the city’s ethics policy.
Asked how much he paid for the weekend getaway, Ravenstahl refused to answer.
He said the question offended him.
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SusanV Says:
For all those defending him citing their own experiences: unless you are a public official, the mayor for goodness sake, your situation does not apply.
He is accountable to his city. He needs to grow up and be more responsible instead of acting like he’s in junior high. When you are a mayor (a governor, the president) you do not get to hide. It is part of the job description.
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Jen Says:
I can’t wait for the Rob Rogers cartoon where Lukey loses his juice box playing hide-n-seek with the press.
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unsatisfied Says:
bring back sophie!!!!
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SadDay Says:
BabaWawa…not trying to start an argument with you. I was just stating facts that the meteorologists were calling for not even half as much as Pgh received. Scroll down to midway here. There was no bulletin Friday afternoon. Friday at 11pm maybe…
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10043/1035161-238.stm?cmpid=news.xml
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toni Says:
Dana said:The way he acted at the press conference leads me to believe he is hiding something, because, like Ginny said, he didn’t “respond to your ridiculous inquiries.” If he doesn’t want the media or his constituents to theorize about his whereabouts, then he needs to stop disappearing.
Dana he and his not supposed to be known mistress/girlfriend/employee might be the something he’s hiding. I’m totally sick of this idiot. And hwile he’s playing his head games to ” prove a point” the immature azzhat took himself right outta the loop to possibly help a dying man aftr numerous 911 calls. Unconscionable.
What they should do is stick a Steeler uniform on a snow plow driver and hang a party ball on the plow. Our own version of El Nino personified would come outta the woodwork for that photo op.
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toni Says:
As for those who voted him back in office…while there are some truly innocent and clueless souls that pushed his lever…the vast majority of votes were union members. His race was actually alittle tight number wise if I recall. And you don;’t think it an accident that 3 days after election he proposes a tuition tax on perpetually broke college kids and their frazzled parents to benefit….UNIONS and their legacy benefit packages.
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Baba Wawa Says:
maybe that’s why i always check the national weather and not the local…it was around 3pm that they made the announcement on the radio…no worries, even 4 to 8 inches should have made the mayor rethink his plans
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Bojack Says:
Pittsburgh in national news, 911 horror show!!!!
Overhauled 911 system. -
frog nails Says:
That Scalo condo at 7 Springs is used to host business associates. They’re courting the mayor, for certain. That IS a big story.
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Sooska Says:
Sidney Crosby for Mayor! He is mature for his age AND knows how to deal with snow and shows up whenever and wherever he is needed. He doesn’t throw hissy fits like a 5 YO when asked a bunch of questions. He leads by example. He doesn’t get irked and ask if we want to see his underwear. He goes out and shows the world how damn freaking competent he is.
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peirogi kid Says:
Dang y’all
The guy was out of pocket for a day. A DAY. His every breath and fart is scrutinized and yinz want to crucify him at the drop of a hat. I think you all and the media need to give him a little bit of a break. Mayor of The Burgh is a tough gig.
Don’t judge a man until you have walked in his shoes. I’d like to see one of you haters try to run a city for a while. On second thought, no I wouldn’t. Sidney C for mayor?? Y’all would shred him inside of a month. -
Steeler_tom Says:
You have got to be $h!TTING me!
Hold on for 1 blasted second.
Do we scrutinize all elected officials? Yes
Last I looked he’s still the mayor. Why shouldn’t he be held to the same standard the all other people who are elected?
It’s simple, public official, elected or otherwise….. sorry take the heat or get the Eff out.
Luke needs to “man” up. Hey If he came clean about N.O. I’d respect the hell out of him. I really would.
If ya ain’t happy with your current situation, start politicking now, make the change! Don’t sit on your arse and whine if you don’t do something about it. Many might disagree with me but Vote Republican. If that bothers you come up with own solution…. -
mfj Says:
He still has the big D after his name. That’s all the depth and breadth of the average Pittsburgh voter’s capacity for political analysis.
So glad we moved out of the city, where a handful of ward bosses decide the fate of half a million people.
If that guy who the paramedics killed lived in Lukey’s neighborhood instead of in Hazelwood, he would be alive today. Somebody tell me I’m wrong.
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Private Planes R Us... Says:
No question in my mind that Luke is hiding the truth. It’s entirely possible that he was, in fact, in NOLA and he was able to scurry back on the same private plane that got him there just in time to hold his news conference and act like a jack-ass.
Sooner or later, the truth is going to come out about all of this but regardless of when it does, this guy and his word should not be trusted!!
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Clementine Says:
Oh, Ginny, so much Word to you. Lukey pulls down 96K in tax dollars each year… hell, yeah, we can ask where he is in the middle of a work day. And the Dread Lord was at Mardi Gras?? BWAHHAAHAHAA!!! That says it all.
@Mayor Luke Doggy Dogg: Fo shizzle my nizzle~ Will you be my Valentine? I wanna have your puppies.
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Ed Says:
Actually, I think Pay to Play and Frog Nails (gotta love handles) are correct about the Condo being more important. The question of how much the Mayor paid is important (compared to how much a non-Mayor might pay for a condo out there). I almost wonder if the Mayor pulled this stunt precisely to avoid questions about the condo and distract us.
I was going to say that Doven could have ended the speculation by saying she could reach the Mayor on his cell phone if need be, but now I suspect she wasn’t suppose to say such a thing.
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Mayor Luke Doggy Dogg Says:
@ Clementine
Girl, hit me up if you can drop it like it’s hot…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtUVQei3nX4
That’s how I dooz it!
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Mayor Luke Doggy Dogg Says:
Let me get this shit crackalackin’ up in this piece…
Since a bunch of ya’ll decided to be some suckas about a playa’ just tryin’ ta git outta town and do his thang, I decided ta help ya’ll out fo’ next time.
Next time ya’ll fools can’t reach me, I gotta new hotline number for all ya’ll.
You can reach tha “Where is Lukey at?” hotline at: 412-Dog-Nutz.
I will also let all ya’ll mofo’s know what type of draws I’m wearin each day. I will personally send my shit stained draws to tha city council next time one of them bustaz tries to pull some shit like this wit tha media again too.
Remember ya’ll…Luke D-O-Double G got tha biggest ballz of them all!
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Bojack Says:
Lukey has thrown Public Safety Director Michael Huss under the bus for the most appalling unnecessary snowstorm death and made him point buttboy. No surprise there.
If EMS was unable to reach streets, why was the Natl. Guard (and more importantly their Humvees not called until Feb. 8??)
Cuz Hizzoner Lukey was boozin and shmoozin at Nutting’s
place, Seven Springs! (Anyone seen who paid his bar tab??)After some Winter Olympics level blame-storming between the 911 union and the EMS union here is the remedy (you’re gonna LUV this!)-
in this morning’s Trib-
“….. The city will rearrange seating for some people in the call center and change the way some calls are documented, Roth said.”
translation- maybe we should move the party-appointment job-holding hacks, and the incompetent affirmative action hacks off the front line, maybe!!
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_667744.html
Wait’ll Mitchell’s lawyers get done with ….US!! The city taxpayers!!
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Steverino Says:
Looks like Mayor Opie just can’t let go of his frat boy days. Party on, Garth.
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toni Says:
Hey peirogi kid …it’s not that the mayor was missing for a day. It’s that the mayor was missing for a day during a time when the city was in a state of emergency (which he initiated) and he ws being sought by counsel members to sign a document to extend the state of emergency.
It was that in the time of this state of emergency a man died after 10 phone calls to 911…a 911 system this mayor had promised to overhaul…and after we are still getting snow dumped on us…fter said mayor was ” waging war” and promised better street conditions and snow removal.
Because, if in fact, Mayor Lukey was heading down to Mardis Gras while a city sits in a state of emergency that HE initiated…that’s news…and thats the height of irresponsability.
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Mike Says:
Why is Mayor Ravenstahl driving around surveying road conditions? Does he clean the bathrooms at the City-County building, too?
Yes… these sorts of crises demonstrate just how poor our municipal services are and how little municipal leadership we have. Sadly, our local political system leaves us with only anecdotes to argue over. There are no careful policy analyses done.
Anyone want to call Mr DeSantis?
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outonalimb Says:
About the weather forcast: I was sitting in Wendy’s that afternoon for lunch, with my kids. We were reading the weather on the Weather Bug on my phone. I gasped and said, “Oh my! Now they are saying 12-20inches!” Everyone seated around us started checking their phones and sure enough, Weather Bug was predicting that much. So yeah, they knew as early at lunch time on Friday. I think everyone just didn’t believe it.
And the way Lukey acted at the press conference, yeah, that’s the way my kids act when they are hiding something or lying.
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Smoochybooches Says:
Has anybody considered that he might have been DRUNK at the pres conference? Unhappily just back from Mardi Gras + totally busted + belligerent = sounds drunk to me.
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Proportional Response... an aggressively normal take on everything Says:
[...] Dear Lukey, [...]
