Cabbies Celebrate Journalist Wallace’s ‘Courage’ Against TLC
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Tired of dealing with “out of control” authorities, cabbies have found an 86-year-old poster child for their cause: legendary “60 Minutes” journalist Mike Wallace.
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, which represents and provides services for taxi and limousine drivers, feted Mr. Wallace with a “courage award” yesterday for his actions two weeks ago, when he was arrested by Taxi and Limousine Commission inspectors in Manhattan on charges of disorderly conduct.
Mr. Wallace was taken into custody August 10 for allegedly lunging at a commission inspector who was questioning his double-parked limousine driver. The Emmy Award-winning newsman was quickly released, and has since denied any wrongdoing. Witnesses backed him up, saying he was “manhandled” by the inspector.
The story was great fodder for the press, but for taxi drivers it was indicative of the intimidation they say they face every day.
“He’s changed the whole industry, believe it or not,” the federation’s president, Fernando Mateo, said yesterday after announcing the award to an annual gathering of livery drivers and their families at River Bank State Park overlooking the Hudson.
“He was able to stand up to the police at the TLC, the people who abuse our industry every day of the week,” Mr. Mateo said. “He stood up to them, went toe to toe, got handcuffed and ar rested, and he was very courageous for doing that.”
The Mike Wallace Courage Award will be now be presented annually by the organization to “those who stand up to authority, those who stand up for their rights,” Mr. Mateo told the crowd.
The award plaque recognizes Mr. Wallace for his “unique ability to defend the rights of the working class in the face of danger and adversity.”
“Right now TLC officers have to rethink how they treat taxi drivers because they don’t know who that passenger will be…. Essentially what he did was stand up for the industry and bring the issues of the industry to the table. Mike Wallace got the world’s attention with what he did,” Mr. Mateo said.
Mr. Wallace’s arrest, which took place on the Upper East Side, was widely ridiculed. Even Mayor Bloomberg weighed in, criticizing the TLC for its actions.
Neither the TLC nor Mr. Wallace could be reached for comment yesterday, and Mr. Wallace was not present to pick up his award. The newsman is due in court in October.
