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(Tampa) Tollway Chief Quits, Linked To Porn Sites
Tampa Tribune ^ | 11/09/06 | Various Staff Reporters

Posted on 11/09/2006 1:37:56 PM PST by MplsSteve

Ralph Mervine, executive director of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority, resigned Wednesday after a Tampa Tribune investigation found he is listed as the owner of a gay pornographic film production company.

The San Diego-based company, Coast Productions, operates at least two adult Web sites and has an adult Yahoo membership group. All three advertise and display young men, ages 18 to 21, offering photos and video clips of explicit sexual activities.

Coast Productions produces DVDs for sale at $39.95 apiece, as well as monthly Web site memberships to view shorter video clips of young men engaging in sex acts alone or with partners.

Mervine resigned hours after being approached by reporters about the company. He had worked for the authority since November 2004 as interim executive director. The board in July voted to make Mervine's position full time.

(Excerpt) Read more at tbo.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: foleygate; homosexualagenda; pervert; porn; tampa; tollway
Well, I think the Expressway Authority has got a little explaining to do.

Can you say the words "no vetting" and "no background check"?

I wonder who will take the fall for this one?

Comments or opinions - anyone?

1 posted on 11/09/2006 1:37:58 PM PST by MplsSteve
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To: MplsSteve

This guy must of been a Republican, other wise there would of been no reason to resign...such actions are resume enhancements..to the democrats


2 posted on 11/09/2006 1:42:01 PM PST by JoanneSD
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To: MplsSteve

Why is this a problem for a civil servant?

Is it against the law for him to have outside ownership in, although unsavory, LEGAL business enterprises?

Not familiar with the law in Tampa, but what are the restrictions?


3 posted on 11/09/2006 1:42:15 PM PST by Mr. Jazzy (God Bless the United States of America and all that defend her hard earned freedom!)
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To: MplsSteve

So he had two jobs that involved profiting from screwing people?


4 posted on 11/09/2006 1:43:40 PM PST by RichInOC (No! BAD Rich!)
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To: Mr. Jazzy

Don't know. But there are a lot of companies that have a Code Of Conduct (or something of that nature) that requires employees to conduct themselves with discretion and honor outside the workplace.

The company I work for has that. A municipality I worked for (in the southern suburbs of Minneapolis) had one.


5 posted on 11/09/2006 1:47:12 PM PST by MplsSteve
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To: MplsSteve

Glad it came out before he became a Republican Congressman.


6 posted on 11/09/2006 1:50:47 PM PST by ElkGroveDan
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To: MplsSteve

I wonder if this guy is tied to the gay website company in Cocoa Beach, FL that is tied to the Foley scandal?


7 posted on 11/09/2006 1:53:06 PM PST by anymouse
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To: RichInOC

LOL!


8 posted on 11/09/2006 1:55:29 PM PST by MplsSteve
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To: MplsSteve

Unless he signed something like that I do not think he did anything wrong (in the sense of the law).

But he tendered his resignation on his own will and through that will make this all but a little blib on the radar screen vs. a national press attention worth story.


9 posted on 11/09/2006 1:57:54 PM PST by STFrancis
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To: MplsSteve
$39.95 each!?! What a ripoff!
10 posted on 11/09/2006 1:58:18 PM PST by HaveHadEnough
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To: MplsSteve
You mean his contract might have a "morals clause"?

Seeing as his participation appears to be strictly in the ownership phase, has that company has been cited for illegal activity?

Is his position as director an elected position?

This guy might have a good lawsuit on his hands.
11 posted on 11/09/2006 1:58:55 PM PST by Mr. Jazzy (God Bless the United States of America and all that defend her hard earned freedom!)
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To: MplsSteve

Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway

now know as the Hershey Highway


12 posted on 11/09/2006 2:01:51 PM PST by kidd
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To: MplsSteve

The internet is why Al Gore will always get the crucial "perv" swing vote.


13 posted on 11/09/2006 2:04:39 PM PST by Thrusher ("There's nothing like the B-2 when it comes to giving peace a chance.")
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To: kidd

LOL!

Ewwwwwwwwww!


14 posted on 11/09/2006 2:06:15 PM PST by MplsSteve
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To: MplsSteve
"But there are a lot of companies that have a Code Of Conduct (or something of that nature) that requires employees to conduct themselves with discretion and honor outside the workplace."

Gee. Maybe we should have a "Code of Conduct" for Congress.

Barney Frank runs an illegal gay prostitution service out of his apartment and that's OK. This poor schmuck runs a legal gay pornographic film production company and is forced to resign his job.

15 posted on 11/09/2006 2:20:59 PM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen
Barney Frank runs an illegal gay prostitution service out of his apartment and that's OK.

But he's from MASSachusetts.

16 posted on 11/09/2006 2:57:39 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
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To: MplsSteve

The last line of the article is priceless. I think the reporter was making a funny.


17 posted on 11/09/2006 3:31:08 PM PST by Athwart
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To: MplsSteve; 69ConvertibleFirebird; AFA-Michigan; Alexander Rubin; AliVeritas; ...
Porn is legal, and therefore liberaltarians say this should have no bearing on his employment. Follow that line of thought, and if President Bush had a sideline of porn production it shouldn't matter either.

Or your childrens' teacher.

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18 posted on 11/09/2006 3:45:15 PM PST by little jeremiah
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