Ángel Franco/The New York Times

Joseph J. Lhota

M.T.A. Chief, in Public Clash, Calls Board Member a Liar

METRO NEWS BRIEFS: NEW YORK; Deputy Mayor Admits Shoving a Reporter

Published: March 02, 2000

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A reporter, Rafael Martinez Alequin, 66, whose self-published newspaper The Free Press is often critical of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, said that Deputy Mayor Joseph J. Lhota hit him in the chest outside City Hall yesterday and referred to him with an ethnic slur. Mr. Lhota acknowledged shoving him but denied using a remark derogatory to Latinos. He said the incident had begun as he talked to a colleague yesterday outside City Hall and Mr. Alequin insisted on speaking to him. The unidentified colleague walked away just before the altercation began.''He interrupted me and shoved me and I shoved him back,'' Mr. Lhota said.

 

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