New York has a new hero in the form of 32-year-old realtor Jason Haber, the guy who told Moammar Qaddafi's representatives that he would only find them a lavish Upper East Side New York abode if they returned the convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi to Scotland and the prison he was sentenced to for life. (Megrahi was given a hero's welcome in Libya when released by the Scots on compassionate grounds on August 20th, as part of an alleged oil deal between Britain and Libya.)
But thanks to Haber, when Qaddafi arrives here for the UN General Assembly this week, the Libyan leader will have to make do with his more humble country's mission on 48th Street.
Haber, 32, first received a call from someone in Qaddafi's entourage around Labor Day weekend. Haber had seen the footage of Megrahi's welcome and, like most Americans, was appalled. Still he made no connection at this point between his new client and the news as, strangely, the person claimed to be representing a senior person in the "Dutch" delegation.
This person said the "Dutch" wanted a triplex on East 78th Street. They wanted it fully furnished with very high-end furniture. Haber explained there were problems with this, since the building in question has only one leasable floor -- for $28,000 a month. Another floor is being renovated. And a third has just been leased.
The "Dutch" person on the phone was clearly not used to being told "no." Haber was rudely told "sort it out, now" and the person hung up on him.
More phone calls in this vein continued -- until Haber, to his shock, suddenly found himself on the phone with "some person in Washington" at the Libyan embassy.
All sorts of alarm bells rang.
If the Libyans hoped to strong-arm a young ignorant realtor they'd missed their mark. Haber happens to hold a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia; as an undergrad he majored in political science at George Washington University and -- oh -- he ran for City Council in New York in 2001.
The Libyans gave him the opportunity to play politics. "I will find you a house if you return Al-Megrahi to Scotland," he told the person on the phone in Washington. The phone went dead.
"At least I consider I did my part for the victims' families," Haber told me yesterday, referring to all those who lost their lives on Pan Am flight 103.
Next time perhaps the Libyans will check more carefully into the background of a New York realtor they want to bully.
And I think Haber should run again for political office.
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Michael Follon
By the way, we haven't seen any additional pictures of how sick the guy is, either, have we? The Libyans put him in the hospital for one day and had photographer take pictures of him, but I bet he is is at home happy and celebrating.
'Just remember, especially in politics, that people who make statements as facts, without knowing what they are talking about, are just opening their mouth and letting their belly rumble.'
The whole issue of the bombing of Pan Am 103 has been the subject of misinformation before and since the trial. Press coverage of the actual facts has been extremely woeful and irresponsible - the saying: 'Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.' comes to mind. If the trial at Camp Zeist had had a jury of 15, as is required by Scots Law, the evidence presented would very probably have been rejected and both defendants aquitted.
I have been a political activist here in Scotland for almost 35 years.
Michael Follon
Heroes don't seek recognition.
Perhaps slightly less admirable, but the heroics came in the actions before, not the news after.
The reasons for everyone being upset don't seem to make much sense either. Libya didn't release this guy, Scotland did. And there is a fairly good chance the guy was innocent in the first place. So I don't get the scandal
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hugh-miles-lockerbie-was-it-iran-syria-all-i-know-is-it-wasnt-the-man-in-prison-1206086.html
Plus, you know, the US is harboring Posada Carriles and Bosch.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Posada_Carriles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Bosch
But they picked the right President.
There's a code of conduct that a Realtor is supposed to adhere to -- and revealing confidences (regardless of whether you agree with the politics of the client) is very troubling. If this Realtor suspected some law was being broken, certainly he could have notified the authorities through his Broker. If he disagreed with the politics of this Client, he could have severed his professional relationship with this client. However, notifying the media of one-upping a Client is never acceptable.
Whether you are a rookie or a seasoned real estate expert, the expectations remain the same. Who cares about his degrees -- is he a politician or someone who serves the real estate needs of his community (mind you, not for free).
Sure, this Realtor thumbing his nose at these Libyan clients is the popular thing to do. But ... who's next?
Someone from the Libyan embassy tried to strongarm him?
He decided to start a sideline in Foreign Affairs?
Has all sorts of feelings and scruples? Uh huh.
If he were a real NYC realtor, he'd have tried to lease a roach infested apartment to the Libyan dictator for the $28,000. Or maybe he did try, and got turned down.
No wonder I stopped subscribing to Vanity Fair.