WHELAN, TYNER & McDEVITT
PULL IT OFF IN
ATLANTIC CITY ...
They didn't do it right
... But, if winning is all that
matters and not how you do it
... Then, it's a job well done!
By HARRY HURLEY
Editor & Publisher
HarryHurley.com
A hearty congratulations goes
out this morning to Jim Whelan,
Damon Tyner and Bob McDevitt.
They ran a quiet, nearly stealth
campaign and walked away with
McDevitt winning a squeaker and
the Atlantic City Democratic
Chairman position for the next
two years.
A win is a win ... But, this is
no way to play the game.
They managed a 20-17 triumph
over Steven Young ... But, in
the process they lost overall
respect. Something that I know
is important to two of the three
people behind this coup.
Three Steven Young voters
arrived just minutes after the
vote had occurred. This would
have resulted in a 20-20 tie.
The three were ardent Marty
Small supporters, leaving more
than a few to wonder if Marty
laid down a little on Steve
Young.
Additionally, for reasons only
known to them ... two Atlantic
City Committee Members actually
attended last night's election,
but did not cast a vote for
either McDevitt or Young.
Finally, 17 new Committee
Members didn't even show up,
probably because they didn't
even know about last night's
meeting.
The whole process is flawed. The
timing of the election couldn't
be worse. The vote for a
two-year Chairman takes place
even before the election results
are certified. In some cases,
people may not even know they
won a seat.
Don't think the timing of this
election is an accident.
This allows for maximum
mischief, which is exactly what
the political insiders want. The
less votes they need to win, the
better for them. That was on
parade last night at The Clarion
Hotel in Egg Harbor Township.
This one was about as
calculating as it gets. Whelan,
Tyner and McDevitt secretly went
about their plan to takeover
control of the Atlantic City
Democratic Party, because they
know how important these seats,
and, who the Chair is really
matters.
It's all about control.
For his part in all of this,
outgoing Atlantic City Mayor and
former Atlantic City Democratic
Party Chairman Scott Evans
chaired a free and fair election
meeting. You can't complain
about Evans or the conduct from
this former
Chairman, who led this meeting,
as his last official act as
Chairman.
Evans is going out the right
way. That matters, too.
I have an important report this
Wednesday about Scott Evans that
you won't want to miss.
I am very fond of Bob Mcdevit
and Damon Tyner. Not so fond of
Jim Whelan. But, this political
threesome cannot and should not
be proud of their conduct.
They did it the wrong way.
Again, two of these three men
care about their reputation and
were raised to go about things
the right way. I'll leave it up
to you to decide who the third
one is.
Now, McDevitt has two years to
disprove what so many are
thinking these days ... that he
has transformed into a political
puppet for Jon Corzine and Jim
Whelan.
McDevitt is the Leader of South
Jersey's biggest and best union,
Unite-Here, Local 54. he also
sits (as a Governor's
appointment) on the South Jersey
Transportation Authority. Now,
he wrestled the Chairmanship of
the Atlantic City Democratic
Party in a stealth, sneak
attack.
A very dear friend of mine once
told me ... That Little Piggie's
get fed ... and, BIG pigs get
slaughtered.
If Bob McDevitt doesn't watch it
... he may be headed to the
political slaughterhouse sooner
then he may think. People don't
like seeing anyone person
consolidate too much political
power.
I am very concerned for my
friend. I wish him the very
best!
