Posted on 08/25/2008 8:12:35 AM PDT by Dutchgirl
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A city councilman on Sunday joined what has become a storm of controversy over whether U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, got special treatment when city work crews delivered sandbags to her home Friday as Tropical Storm Fay was bearing down on Jacksonville.
Brown Admits calling Mayor John Peyton's office for help, but denied any inappropriate use of her power or influence.
"I had to call and call and call, just like anybody else," Brown told Channel 4's Diane Cho. "I had to call several times before I got anybody."
The mayor's chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, said he took Brown's call and authorized Public Works crews to sandbag her Trout River home. Late Friday, he told Channel 4 he apologized if that was a misuse of taxpayer resources.
Despite Brown's repeated statements that she'd pay for the services she received from the city crew, Channel 4 has heard from hundreds of viewers outraged that a congresswoman got help that few if any other residents did.
On Sunday, City Councilman Don Redman said that while it was great the city was able to help Brown, he learned first-hand that other residents that needed help didn't get it -- even when Redman made a special request for it.
"At our meeting with EOC on Thursday, the mayor told us anything we need, just call and the services would be available," Redman said.
As Fay moved in, he was flooded with calls from constituents in District 4 asking for help dealing with rising water and other threats from the storm. One of his constituents sent photos showing nearly 5 feet of standing water in her Windy Hill neighborhood.
When Redman called the EOC on their behalf, he said he was surprised at their response.
"She checked with fire department, all departments with the city and said, 'Don... we do not furnish sandbags for anybody else,'" Redmond said. "I said, 'Can we just get some bags and some sand I'll get them filled?' 'No, we can't do that. That's not a service we fulfill.'"
Not satisfied, Redman called both the mayor's chief of staff and his chief administrative officer by cell phone, but neither answered the call.
"I did hear from both of them (Saturday), sad for not getting back to me quickly and apologizing for not getting sandbags for everybody," Redman said.
Carol Caughlin, the Windy Hill resident who called Redman for help, was "incensed" that Brown got help the average Jacksonville taxpayer could not.
"This just reeks of what they do in Washington and she comes back here to Jacksonville," Redman said. "They think they're politicians, they can ask for anything and they can get it, where we ask and we don't get it."
Since Channel 4 first aired the story about the city's sandbagging at Brown's home, hundreds of other residents have criticized what appeared to be special treatment for the congresswoman.
Ask whether Hollingsworth should face disciplinary action, Redman said that's out of his hands.
"That's up to the mayor," Redman said. "He's a good man. He does a good job responding to issues... Under normal circumstances Adam does a good job responding.
http://www.news4jax.com/news4georgia/17269077/detail.html
I’m sure her Congressional seat will be in jeopardy in November.
/sarc
MM
Well she is of the elite in the Black/Communist Caucus.
The Lexus scandal didn’t do her in, but folks around here are pissed. Her neighbor asked the workers the city sent to do his house too and they flat out turned him down. This one has legs.
BTTT
Adam Hollingsworth used to work for Brown.
I know personally that this is common for Congresswoman Brown. She is the biggest idiot in the world and she throws her weight around like an African chiefton.
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