London mayor to face hearing for comparing Jewish journalist to Nazi guard

[Ambrosio Spinola]

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/AntiSemi/6449.htm

London mayor to face hearing for comparing Jewish journalist to Nazi guard₪
London Mayor Ken Livingstone will face a disciplinary hearing for comparing a Jewish journalist to a Nazi concentration camp guard, England's local government watchdog said Tuesday.

The Standards Board for England said an investigation into charges that Livingstone "failed to treat others with respect and brought his authority into disrepute" had concluded that the issue should be dealt with by a disciplinary hearing.

The Adjudication Panel for England, which will conduct the hearing, could bar Livingstone from office for up to five years, censure him, order him to apologize or force him to undergo training, said a spokesman for the Standards Board.

Livingstone said the investigation had cleared him of the more serious charge of failing to comply with the Greater London Authority's code of conduct. The Standards Board spokesman, who declined to be identified in keeping with board policy, said he did not have the confidential report and did not know whether it had partially cleared Livingstone.

"The Standards Board has rejected the allegation that I failed to comply with the GLA's code of conduct in relation to this exchange," Livingstone said in a brief statement. "The tribunal will now consider the issue of whether I treated a journalist with respect."

The panel generally holds hearings 15 weeks after receiving reports of alleged misconduct, but announced no specific date for Livingstone's hearing.

The outspoken mayor has refused to say he was sorry for the comment, which drew calls for contrition from Holocaust survivors, the government's race-relations watchdog and even Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The mayor said he had not meant to offend the Jewish community when he asked Evening Standard reporter Oliver Finegold whether he had been a "German war criminal."

Finegold, who had approached the mayor for comment after a reception for the gay and lesbian community in February, replied that he was Jewish.

Livingstone told the reporter he was "just like a concentration camp guard. You're just doing it because you're paid to, aren't you?" He referred to Finegold's employer as "a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots."

Finegold recorded the comments and they were later played before the London Assembly, which passed a unanimous motion calling on the mayor to withdraw them.

The mayor said shortly after making the remarks that he had been deeply affected by the reaction of Jewish groups and others.

"I have nothing to apologize for," he said at the time. "My words were not intended to cause such offense." He defended his attack on Finegold, his employer the Evening Standard and its sister paper, The Daily Mail.

Livingstone, a staunch left-winger once nicknamed "Red Ken" by the tabloid press, has long had a testy relationship with sections of the British media -- especially with Associated Newspapers, parent company of the Mail and the Standard.

The Mail, which had a pro-Nazi editorial line in the 1930s, has been accused of scare-mongering in its emotive coverage of issues such as immigration and crime.

Livingstone said the Daily Mail had been a "leading advocate" of anti-Semitism for half a century, a charge the paper denies.

It's not Livingstone's first run-in with the Jewish community. Last month he called Hamas and Israel's ruling Likud Party "two sides of the same coin." The World Jewish Congress expressed "dismay."

In a radio interview the next day, Livingstone said British and U.S. policy in the Middle East was partly to blame for terrorism, and said that if Britons had suffered like the Palestinians, "we would have produced a lot of suicide bombers ourselves."

The popular Livingstone was expelled from Blair's Labour Party for running against Labour's official candidate for mayor in 2000.

Labour readmitted Livingstone last year after it realized it couldn't beat him. Livingstone was easily re-elected for another four-year term.

[Jimbo Gomez]

I hope he loses his job for this. Feed those idiotic PC assholes some of their own vile medicin for a change.

[zenero]

I enjoy a Anglo-Saxon bashing Hebes, but c'monnnnn, this guy is attacking jews and loving Pakistani's on the same time. Even AFTER the non-awakening bombings carried out by upstanding grateful fucking Pakistani's.

I hope he loses his job for this. Feed those idiotic PC assholes some of their own vile medicin for a change.Amen !

[Felix the Cat]

Livingstone has tried to defend himself from accusations of "antisemitism" by claiming he "might" have Jewish ancestry (http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/1640_ken_livingstone_inte.htm) :rolleyes:

That is such a big thing in my life because I was born just about a month after the war ended. But there’s also this other funny thing that we’ve never pinned down – on my 60th birthday the Evening Standard ran an article about tracking down ancestors. There’s no evidence of where my maternal grandmother came from, she was called Zona. And I remember a couple of times when I was a kid, she would say to me, “Don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re Jewish.”

Which made me think we must be, otherwise why would she raise this? And I remember chatting to Greville Janner about this, saying it sounds like a middle European name. So I might be Jewish. Not that I want anyone to feel mortified about this at the Board of Deputies. I mean, because it runs through the maternal line if it turned out to be true I could go and stand for the Knesset, couldn’t I? In Israel I could be elected, no problem.

Weak and pathetic.

[Starr]

Livingstone told the reporter he was "just like a concentration camp guard. You're just doing it because you're paid to, aren't you?" He referred to Finegold's employer as "a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots."(I don't quite get how this is anti-semitic):confused:

It's not Livingstone's first run-in with the Jewish community. Last month he called Hamas and Israel's ruling Likud Party "two sides of the same coin." The World Jewish Congress expressed "dismay."

In a radio interview the next day, Livingstone said British and U.S. policy in the Middle East was partly to blame for terrorism, and said that if Britons had suffered like the Palestinians, "we would have produced a lot of suicide bombers ourselves

OMG! Send the anti-semite, and supporter of terrorism to Israel. He must stand trial for his awful crimes.
Claiming he has Jewish ancestory after this reminds me of people who will say "I am not racist, some of my best friends happen to be black" LOL

this guy is attacking jews and loving Pakistani's on the same time. Even AFTER the non-awakening bombings carried out by upstanding grateful fucking Pakistani's.

Jews? It sounds like he is just being a typical left-wing nut and comparing someone he doesn't like to the greatest evil the world has ever known, Nazis and is anti-zionist(of course, that alone makes him, anti-semitic)

I hope he loses his job for this. Feed those idiotic PC assholes some of their own vile medicin for a change.

Yeah, it is pretty amusing when people like this are themselves, accused of one of the 3 big isms, racism, sexism, or anti-semitism.

[Felix the Cat]

Livingstone fails to get disrepute charge dropped (http://politics.guardian.co.uk/gla/story/0,,1666536,00.html)

The tribunal adjudicating Ken Livingstone's row with a journalist today dropped one of the charges against him, but the London mayor still faces a possible disqualification or suspension for "bringing his office into disrepute".

He will now return to defend himself before the adjudication panel of the Standard Board for England and Wales tomorrow in a row dating back to February, when he likened a Jewish reporter from the paper to a concentration camp guard.

Emerging from the tribunal tonight, Mr Livingstone refused to comment on the ongoing case, beyond estimating that the combined legal costs would be "over £200,000".

In an initial victory today, the mayor had one charge against him - that he failed to "treat others with respect" dismissed - after the tribunal ruled he was in a private capacity rather than an official one when he made the remarks.

The remaining charge, however, carries a potential sentence of five years disqualification from public office, or a year's suspension. Lesser penalties would include demanding a formal apology, of forcing the mayor to undergo training.

The row - first reported on Guardian Unlimited - occurred after a party in February at City Hall for the 20th anniversary of London MP Chris Smith coming out as Britain's first gay MP.

The party was not open to the public or press and Oliver Finegold, a Standard journalist, approached Mr Livingstone as he left.

On being approached by Mr Finegold outside, Mr Livingstone refused to talk about the party. Instead, referring to the Daily Mail - the Standard's sister paper - and its support for the Nazis in the 1930s, Mr Livingstone is said to have baited the reporter, asking if he was "a German war criminal".

On being told that Mr Finegold was Jewish and found that remark offensive, the mayor said: "You are just like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?"

In the days after the row in February, Mr Livingstone consistently refused to apologise, saying: "If he isn't happy he shouldn't be working for a paper like that.

You can't expect to work for the Daily Mail group and have the rest of society treat with you respect as a useful member of society, because you are not."

In the 1930s the paper's owner, Lord Rothermere, supported appeasement with the Nazi regime, and the paper famously published a frontpage supporting the Oswald Mosley's British fascists under the headline: "Hurrah for the Blackshirts."

Mr Livingstone argued that he had been rude to reporters for nearly 25 years and that he would continue to be so. However, he was also accused of hypocrisy for having written a restaurant review column for the paper under its previous editor, Max Hastings.

At the outset of today's hearing, Mr Livingstone's solicitor, Tony Child, made a catalogue of claims suggesting that the hearing should be stopped.

He alleged bias in the way the complaints against Mr Livingstone had been investigated, that Mr Livingstone was not given sufficient time to respond and that the allegations were invalid and improperly brought. These were dismissed and the panel ruled that Mr Livingstone had a case to answer.

There was "no shred of evidence" that the panel's ethical standards officer, who investigated the complaint, was biased or that the complaint referral to the tribunal was "perverse or unlawful", the tribunal chairman, David Laverick, ruled.

But he said Mr Livingstone had made a "non verbal" indication that he did not want to speak to Mr Finegold and that in these circumstances he was not on duty in an official capacity.

Mr Livingstone today picked his words carefully as he left the central London hearing.

He said: "I am not going to comment in the middle of a case. We are still in a position where I could be suspended from office or barred for five years. I do not want to say anything to upset them in the next 24 hours."

On whether the case was money well spent, he said: "We estimate that both sides' legal costs will be over £200,000 - I think that's a good question that the media should be asking."

The tribunal was adjourned until tomorrow.

[daisy]

london mayor comparing jewish journalist to a nazi guardlondon mayor this is what a nazi looks like
http://www.40ozmaltliquor.com/americanhistoryx.jpg
__

[albion]

LONDON - London Mayor Ken Livingstone was suspended from office for four weeks on Friday for bringing his office into disrepute by comparing a Jewish reporter to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

"His treatment of the journalist was unnecessarily insensitive and offensive," said David Laverick, chairman of the Adjudication Panel for England, the disciplinary panel which ruled on the case.

The suspension is effective March 1. Livingstone has the right to appeal the ruling.

"This decision strikes at the heart of democracy," the mayor said. "Elected politicians should only be able to be removed by the voters or for breaking the law."

Since Livingstone lost the case, he must pay his own costs, estimated at more than $175,000. The panel made no recommendation whether his salary should be suspended.

Laverick said the panel was concerned that Livingstone refused to apologize.

"The mayor does seem to have failed, from the outset of this case, to have appreciated that his conduct was unacceptable, was a breach of the code (the Greater London Authority code of conduct) and did damage to the reputation of his office," Laverick said.

"His representative is quite right in saying, as he did on Feb. 23, that matters should not have got as far as this but it is the mayor who must take responsibility for this."

Livingstone did not attend Friday's session to hear the ruling.

The mayor had told the panel that he had not meant to offend the Jewish community when he asked Evening Standard reporter Oliver Finegold whether he had been a "German war criminal."

Finegold, who had approached the mayor for comment after a reception for the gay and lesbian community in February, replied that he was Jewish.

Livingstone told the reporter he was "just like a concentration camp guard. You're just doing it because you're paid to, aren't you?" He referred to Finegold's employer as "a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots."

That was a reference to Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Evening Standard, the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday.

"The whole point being made was a dislike for Associated Newspapers and their history of supporting policies, which are inconsistent with the policies of the mayor," the mayor's lawyer, Tony Child, argued earlier this week.

"There's a right to be offensive and to express in hyperbolic terms opposition to Associated Newspapers and their policies," Child added.

Livingstone has also pointed to the pro-Nazi line taken by the Mail papers in the 1930s. Despite his loathing for the publisher, however, Livingstone once was employed as a restaurant critic for the Evening Standard.

"This paper has not always seen eye to eye with Mr. Livingstone but we have applauded his work in helping to unite London after 7/7," said Evening Standard editor Veronica Wadley, referring to the July 7 terrorist bombings.

"We believe, though, that it is only right that the adjudication panel has now decided that Mr. Livingstone acted in a manner that was ill-fitting for the mayor."

"It should never have reached this point when a simple apology could have avoided all the pain caused to so many Jewish Londoners who have been affected by the Holocaust," said Adrian Cohen, chairman of the London Jewish Forum.

A stubborn streak and a knack for provocation had served Livingstone well in his political career and he is known as "Red Ken" because of his left-wing policies.

[il ragno]

I see the English have reaped well of their planting.

It is in their nature to "lift the shirt".

The filth calls the tune. The leaders dance openly. With the bright eyes of lewd serving wenches.

No hand reaches for sword and halberd. For blood and honor. For these are English.

They are not men.

Oscar Wilde - yes?

Contemplate this on the tree of woe.

Mentzer

[Felix the Cat]

Don't know who to root for here...

It's good to see Livingstone taken down, but bad that idiotic holocaust-nonsense is responsible

Livingstone is a good example of everything that's wrong with the current ruling class

[Jimbo Gomez]

"This decision strikes at the heart of democracy," the mayor said. "Elected politicians should only be able to be removed by the voters or for breaking the law."

As a Vlaams Belang member, I must say this tune sounds oddly familiar.

[brigadier Biggles]

one of Livingstones advisors is jewish, full list here..http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/cabmtgs/cabmmbrs.jsp

motley crew of socialists, jews, blacks, people on agendas...

Lee Jasper is a particulary unsavoury character, he is the advisor to livingstone on "race relations", and he publicy stated there should be "black only" schools back in 2001 :rofl: .

[Atlas]

How ironic, Linvingston is a communist wanker and he got kicked off his job for a month for anti-semitic remark.

[cerberus]

sir Bigglestan,
Who is the Hitler ?

[Felix the Cat]

Livingstone is no fool, if he's publicly insulting Jews it's because he calculates there are votes in it

He's probably hoping to "do a Galloway", and ride into parliament on the backs of Muslim voters

[brigadier Biggles]

sir Bigglestan,
Who is the Hitler ?

why its me isnt it.

[il ragno]

And look at who's the guest of honor of the welcoming committee's surprise party!

[Ahknaton]

Didn't this happen about a year ago? This scandal just drags on and on. And what's so bad about a month's unpaid leave? I probably couldn't get that even if I wanted it.

[Felix the Cat]

Finegold: Mr Livingstone, Evening Standard. How did tonight go?

Livingstone: How awful for you. Have you thought of having treatment?

Finegold: How did tonight go?

Mr Livingstone: Have you thought of having treatment?

Finegold: Was it a good party? What does it mean for you?

Mr Livingstone: What did you do before? Were you a German war criminal?

Finegold: No, I'm Jewish, I wasn't a German war criminal and I'm actually quite offended by that. So, how did tonight go?

Mr Livingstone: Arr right, well you might be, but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?

Finegold: Great, I have you on record for that. So, how was tonight?

Mr Livingstone: It's nothing to do with you because your paper is a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots.

Finegold: I'm a journalist and I'm doing my job. I'm only asking for a comment.

Mr Livingstone: Well, work for a paper that doesn't have a record of supporting fascism.