Highway Chief Quits - Ran Gay Porn Business

[matcom]

<snip>

TAMPA - 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.

He offered his resignation to board Chairman Thomas Gibbs, authority spokesman Mathias Bergendahl said.

"In his resignation, Mr. Mervine says that it is time for the authority to seek new leadership," Bergendahl said. "An appointment of an interim acting executive director will be forthcoming."

The board, Bergendahl said, will hold a special meeting Monday to discuss its search for a new director.

"This is unbelievable. This is unreal," board member Tom Scott said. "I'm just shocked, man. I am shocked."

The issue intensified after Gibbs received a phone call from a reporter about Mervine's links to Coast Productions.

"I didn't know what to say," Gibbs said. "I tracked Ralph down and asked him about it. He didn't want to discuss it. But he said it was just going to go on and on, so he said, 'I'll tender my resignation.'"

Gibbs said he will begin work today on finding someone to replace Mervine. "It's always something," he said.

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBDPZEHAUE.html

[AutumnMist]

1. Ok So Its Not Illegal To Do That

or is it in Florida? If the man wants to run the business let him. He is an adult and I imagine so are the people who visit his stores. Whats the big fuss about?

[LeftyMom]

2. Isn't that sort of prudishness a bit odd for the strip club capitol of the known universe?

:shrug:

[ThomCat]

3. You would think.

But it was Gay porn. x(

[peekaloo]

4. Didn't part of the expressway collapse or had to be shut down a year

or so ago?

Apparently he's not good with steel erections.

[meegbear]

5. 18 to 21?

Doesn't anybody use MEN to make gay porn anymore?

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. I can not, for the life of me, fathom why he should resign.

So he runs a gay porn business? Assuming he's doing it all legally, has the paperwork all proper, is ensuring the models are indeed legal age, and so on - no one should give goddamn about whether he's running a porn business on the side.

It's utterly irrelevant.

Unless he's doing it illegally, or forcing government road workers to do it to keep their jobs, there is NO conflict of interest, and there is certainly nothing morally or legally wrong with it.

People need to get over themselves and realize that our bodies are not shameful, taboo, evil, or disgusting.

Christ.

[Porcupine]

7. So which road in Florida is the official "Hershey Highway?" nt..

.

[flvegan]

8. Harris loses...gay porn erupts. Coincidence?

I think not. Moral fabric...gone.