It’s ironic that on the day we publish a story about a new African-American leader who built a bipartisan campaign team (Lumon May), PNJ columnist Reggie Dogan writes how John Jerralds tried to get his comments retracted from Dogan’s column. Not only did Jerralds try to take his words back, he said that he would deny he ever said them if Dogan printed them, according to Dogan. Remarkable!
The column was to be on the rising opposition in the E Street area to a Gulf Power Co. project to upgrade some transmission lines along the street. The North Hill neighborhood association protested the original path through the area, causing Gulf Power to go back to the route of the old lines.
What was the quote the deputy mayor pro tem was ready to deny:
“If people in North Hill rejected plan A, and people on E Street rejected plan B, then Gulf Power has a responsibility to find another plan. The people on the E Street corridor should be given the same consideration as North Hill. It’s not about race; it’s about money.”
Dogan pulls no punches: “Jerralds’ action brings to question his integrity and honesty. Such conduct helps explain why people have lost faith in politics in general, and politicians in particular.”
I agree with Dogan – Pensacola deserves more from Jerralds.
Read the column.