The word, “henchman” isn’t used much now, but it will get popular again soon. Joseph Lhota is running for mayor. According to the article by Michael Barbaro on the front page of today’s (3/28) New York Times, Mr. Lhota was deputy mayor under Rudolph Giuliani and his most notable task was strong-arming the Brooklyn Museum. It was also his biggest failure.
When, in the fall of 1999, Mayor Giuliani objected to a painting in The Brooklyn Museum, one that he considered religiously offensive, it was deputy mayor Lhota’s job to make sure the work of art was removed. The painting in question, “Holy Virgin Mary” by the artist Chris Ofili, contained clumps of elephant dung and photos of female genitalia. It was part of, as Mr. Barbaro writes, “Sensation, a deliberately provocative collection of about 90 paintings, photographs and sculptures that had arrived in Brooklyn after making it’s debut, to huge crowds as well as controversy, in London.” The deputy mayor “concedes that he did not see the artwork – or the rest of the “Sensation” exhibition – in person, despite living in Brooklyn Heights, about ten minutes from the museum. He looked at pictures instead.” That was enough to convince Mr. Lhota, a Roman Catholic who once considered joining the priesthood, that this painting was, indeed, offensive.
First, he warned the Brooklyn Museum that if they didn’t remove the painting, the city will cut off their funding, a vitally needed $7 million a year. When they refused, he threatened to close the entire museum, citing a technicality in their lease. The museum’s board of directors voted to proceed with the show, so he told them that he was withholding their first payment, a check for $500,000. “Schuyler Chapin, the city’s commissioner of cultural affairs, demanded an explanation from Mr. Lhota, in person, at City Hall.” The deputy mayor replied that “He was looking for ‘leverage points’ to force the museum’s hand. ‘It was,’ he said, ‘as legitimate as any negotiation is.” But not as legal.
The Brooklyn Museum filed a lawsuit against New York City and won. “When a federal judge, Nina Gershon, ruled in November 1999 that the city had violated the First Amendment, she cited Mr. Lhota’s testimony. It ‘reinforces the conclusion,’ Judge Gershon wrote, ‘that it was never contemplated that the city or the mayor would have veto power over the museum’s decisions as to what to display.’ After its court defeat, the Giuliani administration reached a settlement that required it to restore financing to the museum and barred City Hall from any acts of revenge.”
None of which would matter in the least except Joseph Lhota is seeking to follow Michael Bloomberg as Mayor of New York City. As Defender of the Faith, Mr. Lhota is as silly and useless as the Swiss Guard. As an art critic, he makes Sister Wendy look like Peggy Guggenheim. As a mayoral candidate, however, his behavior is disturbing. He defends both his conduct regarding the Brooklyn Museum and the motivation behind it. “I don’t regret the tactics – at all.”
If he was just another thug running for office, he wouldn’t merit our attention, either. Yet, as Michael Barbaro notes, “Mr. Lhota promotes himself as a moderate Republican candidate with urban sensibilities that the national party lacks.” If that were true, he’d be John Lindsay and people who remember Mayor Lindsay might be deceived. Joseph Lhota also claims cultural credentials: having “once audited an art history class at Georgetown.” Auditing means you aren’t graded, so the only cost to your stupidity is tuition. On the other hand, because the class didn’t effect his grade point average, it could be a sign of the demi-cunning that would mark his later career in public service. Either way, people who couldn’t get into Georgetown might think he’s smart and do something dumb like vote for him.
So, what makes one of Giuliani’s henchmen, an unsuccessful one at that, think he can be mayor? Simple. Joseph Lhota is the kind of guy who would lie to the press and then believe his own publicity. Ask him. He’ll tell you to read the article in The New York Times.
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