It's the latest development in a series of events that began when Fox 29 aired an investigation of the work habits of Bryant, who is City Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr.'s $90,000-a-year legislative aide.
The station reported that Bryant's work sheets showed her working at times during the summer when she was not on the job.
The issue turned into accusations of racism when Bryant held up handwritten signs at a Council meeting Sept. 18 accusing the station and one of its reporters of racism.
The signs read: "Fox 29 are racists" and "Jeff Cole KKK." Goode and Bryant are black; Cole, a Fox 29 reporter, is white.
The situation has been complicated by hints in the Fox 29 reports that there was a romantic relationship between Goode and Bryant.
The Daily News blog PhillyClout reported yesterday that Fox 29 has "a slide show of 14 candid snaps of Goode and Bryant looking very romantic in a tropical get-away."
A week ago, Goode told PhillyClout that he was not romantically involved with Bryant.
"Is there a social relationship?" Goode was asked. "Yes," he replied.
"Is there a romantic relationship? No," he replied.
The station reported earlier that Bryant and Goode had been seen entering his house with a case of beer, and on one occasion it appeared that she had spent the night at his house.
Last Sunday, Bryant sent a letter to Goode apologizing for her "inexcusable" behavior in holding up the signs at the Council meeting, but reiterated her accusations that Fox 29 was inaccurate in its reporting on her work habits.
Another development came yesterday when City Controller Alan Butkovitz said that Bryant owes the city $836.35 for 19.45 hours of work she allegedly missed during the summer.
Butkovitz said that he reached his conclusion about how much Bryant owes the city by using information from the Fox 29 news investgation. He sent letters to Goode and Bryant on Tuesday asking them if they wanted to challenge the math.
Goode responded in an e-mail yesterday, saying that he doesn't dispute that Bryant's work time sheets were inaccurate. He repeated his explanation that Bryant may have made honest mistakes because she wasn't logging her hours every day.
"If she does not respond to your correspondence by Oct. 10, I will take full responsibility for the mistakes in her daily time records as outlined in your letter and I agree to personally make full restitution in the amount of $836.35 to the City of Philadelphia, as arranged by your office," Goode wrote to Butkovitz. *
Staff writer Jack Morrison contributed to this report.
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEWS
Philly.com Promotions
