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Serious: Friday at 4:51 p.m. the PCHR e-mailed me saying it had "lack of jurisdiction" to act on the ethnic intimidation and display of a hate symbol complaint I filed last Monday after Council and Mayor Nutter remained quiet as carpeting.
Since I wasn't the target of the KKK sign, and I wasn't in Council when Bryant played her race cards, I was told I didn't have "standing" to file the complaint.
Yet PCHR accepted a complaint against Geno's "Please speak English" sign from its own chairman, even though he had not been denied service.
Would "jurisdiction" and "standing" be invoked had Bryant been a white city employee? It's not exactly the same thing, but you get the point: Equal treatment under the law.
Fox 29's Jeff Cole was the target of the "Jeff Cole KKK" sign, but journalists are loath to file lawsuits. Cole had reported that Bryant fudged some time sheets, and now city Controller Alan Butkovitz says Bryant owes the city $836.35 for time she missed, per Fox 29's reporting.
Goode admits to a "social" relationship with Bryant, whom he supervises. The city does not forbid boss/employee fraternizing. Maybe it should, and now we can see why.
Goode told Butkovitz he'd pay the $836.35 if Bryant didn't. Who says chivalry is dead?
Curious: Who took the revealing vacation pictures obtained by Cole and lovingly posted on the station's Web site?
All 14 pictures show Goode and Bryant, in casual clothes - down to a skimpy sundress and a bikini for her - during an August 2005 trip to Jamaica. Did they work on legislative affairs day and night? Or just affairs?
Several City Council observers were stunned by the pictures. "It's the first time I've ever seen him smiling," said one. And, boy, was he smiling. Hell, even I'm smiling.
In six shots, Bryant wears a flower behind her left ear, which means she's taken, by island custom. I can't say if Bryant knows the custom, or thinks it's racist.
In nine pictures, Goode has his hands on Bryant body parts, ranging from boring (her back) to ooo-la-lah (waist, hips, thighs). He left more handprints on her than stars have on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Some of the pictures could have been better. Here are some photo tips for the shooter:
Move closer to the subjects, get the sun behind you, and when there's a bright background use a flash. It's very important to use flash on people with darker skin, such as African-Americans. (I hope Bryant doesn't feel this is racist and then flash a "Byko KKK" sign in Council.)
Goode denies that their relationship is "romantic." If not, is it what the "Sex and the City" set calls "friends with benefits?"
But the burning question is: Who took the pictures? There are too many to have been taken by random passers-by. I think the pictures were taken by someone they know, a Judas.
I left a message at Goode's office Friday afternoon and was surprised when he called me back.
He wouldn't comment on who took the pictures, or whether he and Bryant had shared a room. We had a long, civil conversation, most of which was off the record.
He declined to say if Bryant had been reprimanded, but said he was disappointed "it took so long [for her] to issue an apology."
And I was disappointed that PCHR didn't use my complaint to test the new ethnic-intimidation law.
If the city won't enforce the law, rescind it.
Or admit it's aimed only at whites.
E-mail stubyko@phillynews.com or call 215-854-5977. For recent columns:
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