Birmingham candidates continue to lie and the special interest has its voice.With second time challenger Chris Cumming raises the most campaign contributions in District 1, and Joel Montgomery being dishonest about some campaign funding and not reporting it. Chris Cumming raised $10, 930 which most of those funds coming from Grid PAC and $3,000 from Tennessee. Brandon Mikal McCray raises $2,293 in campaign funding for a first time candidate to replace the incumbent Joel Montgomery. LaShunda Scales a second time challenger as well raised $8,833 in campaign contributions. Scales also a dishonest candidate in this race.
Joel Montgomery the incumbent raised a total of $4,950 in cash, with most of his money coming from outside of Birmingham and the State. Did anyone give from District 1 to Joel?
Dishonesty about Montgomery and Scales – Let’s begin with the incumbent he reported raising $4,950 in cash contributions; however he didn’t report no expenditures for his campaign. Now that makes me wonder a little, who paid for all those campaign signs in District 1 that’s brand new and fresh of the printers? The campaign signs read paid for by the Committee to Elect Joel Montgomery. Come on Mr. Montgomery be honest for a change and let the people know what you are doing with the campaign cash and who is paying for what. Mrs. LaShunda Scales also lied she said at the beginning of the campaign period that she would not accept any money for her campaign. Oh is that really true LaShunda no money huh. Accepting over $6,300 dollars is accepting money and others and you lied.
Betty Cannon Corna and Roderick “Coach” Jackson reported no contributions or expenditures. However I question who paid for all of those orange and white campaign signs for Roderick Jackson, can you tell us Mr. Jackson even if it’s was in-kind to the campaign? We would like to know.
In District 2 – Rolanda Hollis raised the most money, reporting a total of $11,849 in contributions, followed by incumbent Carol Duncan with $9,820. Lawrence Conaway a local pastor came in third with $3,584 and Kim Rafferty came in last with only $1,735.
In this race Rolanda Hollis receive a bulk of her campaign funding from the special interest as well, let’s take a look. $6,000 -- JENNRO PAC, Birmingham (chaired by James Glen), $1,000 -- GRID PAC, Birmingham; Bill Smith, Homewood, $300 -- Steel City Services, Birmingham; WD Wallace & Associates, Birmingham.
Kim Rafferty reported that $1,150 came from New Directions PAC. Kim I really would like to know who paid for all of those campaign signs and TV commercials, let’s be honest about it and tell the whole story and not part of it.
In District 3 – Bayless out raised Abbott in the last (10-5 day) campaign report. Howard Bayless first time challenger to Abbott raised $24,704 in all and the incumbent Valerie Abbott raised a total of $27,466.
Bayless received a bulk of his campaign cash from the Victory FUND a LGBT PAC, which contributed a total of $7,514.00 to his campaign.
In District 4 – Incumbent Maxine Parker raised the most campaign money to keep this seat, she raised $2,920 and $2,000 came from Jefferson County Voter Education, Birmingham. Ernest Lumpkin, III reported raising $850 in cash contributions and Robert Walker also reported raising $500 in cash contributions.
In District 5 – Only Incumbent Jonathan Austin and challenger Charlie Williams, Jr. reported raising any campaign funds in this race. Most of Austin campaign funding campaign from PAC’s such as $5,000 -- TOC PAC, Birmingham (chaired by Karen Davidson),$2,500 -- CA PAC, Hoover (chaired by Miller Boxx); STA PAC, Birmingham (chaired by Karen Davidson); L PAC, Montgomery, $1,250 -- Horizon PAC, Birmingham (chaired by Stephen Bradley), $1,000 -- Alabama Master Vending, LLC, Huntsville. He received $500 from STA PAC, Birmingham (chaired by Karen Davidson); and $250 from Highland PAC, Birmingham (chaired by Stephen Bradley).
Charlie Williams, Jr. received $4,000 -- New Directions PAC, Birmingham and $1,500 -- The Voter's Education and Registration Program PAC, Birmingham.
More coming on District 6-9 tomorrow.
