BUSH-HACKED

New York Post ^ | 10/21/04 | ANDREA PEYSER

[kattracks]

SUPPORTING President Bush is not just socially suicidal in this town — it can endanger your career and cost you big bucks, as one cabby discovered the hard way.

Haitian-born Etzer Jerome was fined $500 and had his license suspended three weeks — a loss of some $5,000 — simply because, he says, he committed a new kind of infraction: Backing Bush While Black.

"I'm a Bush man," Jerome, 49, told me while recounting a story that couldn't happen anyplace else.

[snip]

Elizabeth Grainger asked for a ride to 116th Street. He dropped his sandwich, and they drove off.

And then, the young woman brought up politics.

[snip]

"Do you like Bush?" Grainger asked Jerome.

"I voted for Bush!" Jerome said he answered.

At that, he contends, Grainger, who is white, spat: "How can a black man vote for Bush?" And she asked him to stop the cab.

Jerome said she jumped out, paid her fare — but only after he tapped the horn — and got into another cab. But, first, he said, she shouted, "I'm going to eff you."

Grainger filed a complaint against Jerome with the TLC, charging him with harassment.

At a June 16 hearing, Grainger testified, tearfully, that Jerome had threatened and verbally abused her.

[snip]

Schwartz found Jerome guilty, and slapped him with the fine and suspension. Jerome's appeal was tossed without a hearing.

Reached last night, Grainger, 30 said she felt "terrorized" by Jerome, who she said initially refused to let her out of his cab.

[aculeus]

Surely there's an attorney here who will help with this?

The New York Taxi and Limousine Commission is very powerful and -- for historical reasons -- they almost automatically believe the complaining passenger rather than the driver.

Unfortunately there have been a lot of abusive cabbies (and few nasty lying passengers) over the years.

This witch knows how the commission operates and knew that she would succeed in her efforts to "eff" this (apparently) decent man.

[sport]

I don't believe a word of what that woman says.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Shortstop7]

Oh you need to be sure Hannity gets that. He had the guy on today, and I believe the cab driver. Apparently a news story on the radio prompted the lady to ask the cabbie. She instigated the question and when she didn't like his answer that he had voted for President Bush, she told him to stop the cab.

The Dems are just out of control at this point.......the party of free speech? Hahahaha.

[rmlew]

Thanks for the tip.
We are discussing how to handle this in commie occupied Morningside hts.

[dolander2002]

Here in Portland, OR, the Bush/Cheney Republican Headquarters had rocks thrown through their windows and MORE threats made. I can't put up a yard sign because of the vandals and am sick of Demoncrats coming to my door to ask if I am registered to vote so that I can help beat Bush. Jeez, I live in a old neighborhood of upper middle-class folks. I've lived here 33 years and have always been a registered Republican. Do I freakin' look like one of those disenfranchised felons they are trying so hard to register? Not that felons can vote here, but I must admit that I am expecting to see dead people voting in several states.

[Papa Sierra]

What can you expect from someone whose "favorite book of 1997" was titled, "I Love Dick"?

[Papa Sierra]

Apparently, she's a "poet" as well (though I'm sure Lord Byron's still sleeping soundly).

http://orient.bowdoin.edu/orient/archives/2002-03-01/ae04.htm

http://www.nycbigcitylit.com/may2001/contents/Poetryfeature.html

http://www.nycbigcitylit.com/may2001/contents/Poetryfeature.html#Elizabeth%20Grainger

Watch for her upcoming book of collected poems, titled, "I Fuc*ed a NY Cabbie, Just 'Cause."

[rpavlock]

I say we need one.

[rpavlock]

time for us to fight back in all ways. If they get physical, bet the crap out of them.