Mayor's Executive Assistant Apologizes For T-Shirt Photo

The executive assistant to Mayor Daryl Finizio has issued an apology after he was criticized for wearing a "New London Hates You" T-shirt in an online photo.

Zak Leavy, who has also been working as a legislative lobbyist for the city, said in a Facebook post that he wore it to support a friend who is starting a business. The shirt includes the phrase as a whale and the name of the company, Trywork Trading Co. The shirt was designed by New London resident Ryan Schrader, according to an Etsy page featuring the shirt.

Leavy said he thought the shirt intended to be satiric, with the phrase referring to the whale due to New London's history as an active whaling port. He said the phrase could also be taken as a parody of the song "London Hates You" by the band The Kills.

"This was a mistake and I exercised poor judgment in wearing the shirt," said Leavy. "I hold myself to a higher standard and I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by me wearing the shirt and it will not happen again."

Michael Buscetto III, a former city councilor and opponent of Finizio in the 2011 election, posted the photo on his political Facebook page on Monday afternoon and said it was an "embarrassment to the city." Among the people circulating the photo was the page Whale Tales, a political Facebook page critical of Finizio.

"New London has welcomed with open arms everyone for years and years and there is nothing funny or cute about HATE," the page posted. "Zak owes this community an apology at very least, and please dont bother whatever reason you have for wearing such an offensive shirt. New London does not hate anyone."

In a subsequent post, the page joked that residents should greet Vice President Joe Biden's motorcade with signs bearing the phrase when Biden arrives at the Coast Guard Academy on Wednesday to deliver a commencement address.

Leavy posted his apology on Tuesday afternoon.

"I fell in love with the City of New London over two years ago when I moved here. The people I have met have been some of the best people I know and I care deeply about this community. So deeply in fact that I had the City Seal of New London permanently tattooed onto my arm last year," the post concluded. "While this is an example of a poor choice I want to assure everyone that it will not be repeated. Again, I apologize to anyone that was offended and this is a mistake that I will not make again."

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