Push to recall Portsmouth mayor gains momentum

PORTSMOUTH

An effort to recall Mayor James Holley got a boost this week with the gathering of more signatures and the formation of a political action committee.

About sixteen volunteers fanned out at precincts around the city and gathered 2,415 more signatures on Election Day, according to Pat Simons, one of the organizers.

That adds to the more than 2,800 signatures that were gathered as of Oct. 23 but still does not give the anti-Holley movement the 7,500 needed to force a recall vote.

Portsmouth resident and Norfolk gun dealer Robert Marcus launched a political action committee to bolster the recall campaign.

"We're well on our way now," Marcus said. He anticipated that a door-to-door effort to get additional signatures would begin.

The effort to recall Holley came shortly after members of City Council asked him to resign and Holley refused.

Before that, council members fined him $2,500 in connection for using his city assistant to perform personal tasks including canceling his Playboy subscription.

Holley has said he is not walking away from his office.

Holley, who is in his fifth term, was recalled once before in 1987 in connection with a hate mail campaign.

Holley did not return a message left at his home Tuesday night.

Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com