New Councilmember Jimmy Harrity gets fresh with official bio
Harrity is one of four Council members who last month won special elections to replace lawmakers who resigned to run in next year’s mayoral race.
New City Councilmember Jimmy Harrity took a unique approach to his official biography on Council’s website, with a seemingly stream-of-conscious version of his colorful personal story, complete with a “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reference and several grammatical errors.
“In Southwest Philadelphia Jim Harrity was born and raised running track and playing football is where he spent most of his days,” Harrity’s bio begins. “Track and field is where Jimmy shined and met his bother and best friend whom, we all know now as State Senator Sharif Street. Jim’s political career began with former City Controller Johnathan Saidel whom, he drove for 5 years.”
» READ MORE: A bar fight, a heart attack, and 12 years of sobriety: Jimmy Harrity’s path to Philadelphia City Council
Harrity is a former top staffer for Street and the state Democratic Party. He struggled with alcoholism earlier in his life but has been sober for 12 years, an experience he references in the bio.
“While working at the Sherriff’s office Jim hit rock bottom which caused him to become sober. His sobriety led him to attend One Day At A Time drug and alcohol sessions,” the bio reads. “Those sessions turned Jimmy’s life around to become a board member of a life changing organizing. He helped bring community awareness to drug and alcohol and how bad it was affecting the community and families.”
Reached for comment Tuesday afternoon, Harrity said a staff member made errors in preparing the bio that Harrity didn’t see until someone else alerted him after it had published on Council’s website.
“The kid messed it all up. It’ll be corrected tonight,” Harrity said. “I knew it was going to be a problem as soon as somebody sent to me. It’s all right. We’ll grow together. We’ll get better. Freshman mistakes are fine.”
Harrity is one of four Council members who last month won special elections to replace lawmakers who resigned to run in next year’s mayoral race.
The others — Council members Sharon Vaughn, Quetcy Lozada, and Anthony Phillips ― went with more traditional bios.
Staff writer Ryan W. Briggs contributed reporting.
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