Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy Resigns and forms Alabama Democratic Majority

An announcement that caught many by surprise is a view of the infighting that is happening in Montgomery with old party leaders and those that have a vision to move the party forward and regain a majority in 2014 and beyond.

Mark Kennedy & Joe Reed 

Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy announced his resignation this week following disagreement with the party board, namely Joe Reed, head of the Alabama Democratic Conference. According to Kennedy “He and I have had an honest difference of opinion when it relates to what the Alabama Democratic Party must do to become relevant to working class families, school teachers and state employees," Kennedy said.   

According to an inside source that is familiar with the situation that caused Chairman Kennedy to resign, says that this comes in a dis-agreement between Kennedy and Joe Reed in regards to rehiring an individual or staffer that I would not name at this time; that was let go by the party before. My sources clearly described this situation as a power play matter.

In a time when a party is trying to regain its majority and support across a state that’s basically red, our leaders should be united in unity as one with one agenda.  Many are watching leadership and their actions whether those in leadership know that or believe that. 

For too long one person has thought they can run the show and if it’s not their show then it’s nobody show. In the picture to the left, it appears that Chairman Kennedy & Joe Reed is in a heated discussion in Montgomery over party affairs. 

Kennedy plans to make an announcement Monday that he hopes will provide opportunity to strengthen and reunite state democrats. Kennedy will make his announcement in Birmingham that he is forming the Alabama Democratic Majority. Kennedy believes it is important that voters be educated and that voter registration is important along with supporting candidates that support the idea of moving the State forward. 

Alabama Judge blocks sneaky school voucher bill from becoming law

A sneaky bill, a sneaky process! 

Montgomery Co. Circuit Judge Charles Price issued an order on yesterday halting a controversial school choice bill from becoming law by the sneaky works of the Alabama majority lead Republican legislature and being signed by Republican Governor Robert Bentley.

On today Judge Price upheld that order until a March 15 hearing. If the educators, school districts, and Alabama Education Association didn’t step in, the bill was headed for the Governor desk yesterday afternoon for his official signature regardless of what the people and taxpayers think.

The Alabama Education Association filed a lawsuit Monday night seeking to stop the legislation that would give parents zoned for "failing" schools an estimated $3,500 income tax credit to help pay for tuition at a private school or another public school. So far the AEA is on the right track and the Republican lead legislature is not.

The lawsuit filed by AEA claims that the Republican lead legislature violated the “Open Meetings Act” when the so called tax credit program was added to the original bill in conference committee and did not allow much discussion on the amendments to the original bill.   

The process and bill seems to be a sneaky process and smells funky.

Why would you take hard working taxpayers money away from public education, and pay for private tuitions? Republicans have always wanted this type of legislation and they are finally trying to have it their way, but in a sneaky way.

Republicans have come out against the lawsuit, because they know it exposes their wrong doings and non fairness. They also began to notice that a majority of the citizens, school districts, parents and educators are with the lawsuit to end this sneaky act by the sneaky lead Republicans. Governor Bentley himself who leads this state also approves of this sneaky act and its process by which it passed.

Parents of children zoned for failing schools could receive an income tax credit equal to 80 percent of the average annual state cost for attendance of a public K-12 student to offset the cost of private school or a transfer to another public school.  This is simply not accountability! According to the bill sponsor Rep. Chad Fincher, a Republican from Semmes, estimated that the tax credit would equal to about $3,500. He said it could be used by families at a failing school now and also used by families zoned for failing schools but who have their child enrolled in a private school already.

Already Rep. Fincher, really already? Is this another sneaky way to separate a certain group of kids from the others?

According to the lawsuit Republican members of the conference committee, Sens. Marsh and Gerald Dial and Fincher and Jay Love, "met amongst themselves" to discuss the bill during the recess to the conference committee meeting. How sad? The lawsuit also claims that the meeting of the four lawmakers during the recess was a violation of the state's Open Meetings Act.

The lawsuit doesn’t stop there. The lawsuit claims that the Republicans violated Rule 21, which requires that meetings be posted at least one hour before the meeting.

This is indeed a sneaky act by Republicans to push through a favoritism bill designed to help a certain group of communities or families. And use tax dollars to do so, how ridiculous can they be with this bill?

On March 15 we will see what Judge Charles Price do with this lawsuit. Hoping he will side with the taxpayers and educators.  

Clarke, Finley advance to runoff in Alabama House District 97

Adline Clarke

Mobile, Alabama – In a short race to replace the late Dr. Yvonne Kennedy, two well known candidates advance to a runoff after Tuesday special election.

Adline Clarke and Karlos Finley will both square off to become the next State Representative to represent Alabama House District 97 as a Democrat in Montgomery. No Republicans qualified to run on the Republican ticket to challenge the Democratic nominee. This is expected to be a spirited campaign in the weeks to come.

Attorney Karlos Finley

Your “Political Beacon” had it right one more time, this race came down to the three candidate race that we projected in Adline Clarke, Karlos Finley and William Carroll. These three candidates shared the most votes in this race to represent District 97. Adline Clarke received the most votes coming in with 40% of the vote, Karlos Finley tagged in with 24% and William Carroll bounced in third place.

The most important news is that Democrats are mostly excited than Republicans, with a little over 9% of voters casted ballots in Tuesday special election, compared to 7% of Republicans that cast votes in the Republican primary for the special election of Senate District 35 in South Mobile County according to al.com.

Your Political Beacon will continue to keep you informed on this race as it unfolds. 

Voters in AL-House Dist. 97 to choose new voice Tuesday

In a hot race to replace former State Representative the late Dr. Yvonne Kennedy in Alabama House District 97 has drawn seven candidates from all backgrounds. The big question that remains is, will either candidate ever be Dr. Yvonne Kennedy? 

On Tuesday, February 26, 2013 the voters of District 97 will go to the polls and cast a vote for their fresh new voice in the Alabama House of Representatives. Polls will open from 7am-7pm.

I have been quite on this race, really haven’t found no interest in this race. The voters will have their say on Tuesday. However I still must throw my two cents in. I do believe that this is a three person race, and the two vote receivers will advance to a run-off, and then expect a rematch next year in 2014 with possible more or different candidates.

In my view this race will come down to these three candidates, Adline Clarke, William Carroll and Karlos Finely. All three of these candidates have a big name in the community, but are also backed by heavy weights that often drive elections. I will not mention those heavy weights at this time, but I will go more in dept during the run off if there is one. I always believe that it should be the people's choice and not those of a special interest or group of people that drive politics.

Other candidates vying for this seat, is Jeffery Ray Jones, Kimberly Williams Pettway, Ronnie L. Williams and Levi Wright, Jr. You can expect those candidates to do well if they can get their supporters to turn out and cast a vote.

The late Dr. Yvonne Kennedy has carried a legacy in Mobile and Montgomery for many years fighting for the people and the disadvantaged citizens of Mobile County and the State of Alabama. We will always miss Dr. Kennedy. I call this group the pack of 7 in House District 97, who will emerge as the number one guy or woman on Tuesday. No Republicans qualified to run on the Republican ticket in a surely Democratic district.

House District 97 covers a large portion around the Downtown Mobile area, if you have any questions on where you should vote, please be sure to call the local Mobile County Board of Registrars office for advice and information. It’s important and it’s your vote and voice. If you don’t vote you shouldn’t complain.

Republicans lights are going out in Alabama

In many reports around the state and coming from reliable sources several Alabama Republicans may be in a little trouble if you look at it in a real sense and not just politics. A money flow from former Alabama Governor Riley to Alabama House Speaker Hubbard could cause Alabama Anti-Gambling Activist to face a huge tax burden. 

We all knew that the Republican Party is full of hypocrisy and full of lies and cheating. We have learn more and more that the Republican party have self interest and the interest of the wealthy at hand and not the common Alabamians that strive to make it every day, or those who work hard to earn their money and get nothing in return. Here is a look at the big breaking and disturbing news that could one day make it’s case in the courtroom.

A. Eric Johnston
One of Alabama's most prominent anti-gambling activists could face a substantial tax burden because about $1 million in campaign contributions were routed through his non-profit organization to companies owned by House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), sources tell Legal Schnauzer.

A. Eric Johnston, director of Citizens for a Better Alabama (CBA), says former Governor Bob Riley funneled the money through CBA to two companies owned by Hubbard, a long-time Riley ally. This breaking revelation came in a report a couple of days ago from Bill Britt at Alabama Political Reporter. Britt hints at a rift between Johnston and his "pro family" organization on the one hand, with Riley and Hubbard on the other--even though all have been seen as prominent conservative voices against gambling.

The source of the rift is not clear from Britt's article. But sources say Johnston's group might lose its tax-exempt status because it accepted funds that wound up with Hubbard's companies. That could leave Johnston with a sizable bill from the IRS, one he did not see coming. "People in Montgomery know that Eric Johnston is sweating," one source says.

Did Riley and Hubbard combine to double cross Johnston, exposing him to major tax liability? Britt's article hints at that: How did then-Governor Bob Riley and Chairman of the ALGOP Mike Hubbard route almost a million dollars in Republican campaign contributions through a nonprofit and back to a Hubbard owned company? Um, sounds mighty fishy don’t it?

“Someone from the governor’s [Bob Riley’s] office would call and say you’re getting a check for $200,000 and you’re going to get a bill at the same time from [Mike] Hubbard’s deal and you need to pay that, that is what that money is for.” Those are the words of A. Eric Johnston a Birmingham-based attorney and anti-gambling advocate who explains the operational relationship between Bob Riley, Mike Hubbard and his 501c(4), Citizens for a Better Alabama.

Mike Hubbard was the politician who was supposed to bring honest government to Alabama? Sure doesn't sound like it from Britt's article: The picture Johnston paints appears to be a brazen orchestration of campaign funds by a sitting governor to benefit his most faithful ally, Mike Hubbard.

Citizens for Better Alabama (CBA) was a Birmingham-based, tax-exempt group that was the public face of opposition to Sweet Home Alabama, and to shut down legal casinos operated at VictoryLand and Country Crossings. According to archived versions of its website, the CBA – run by A. Eric Johnston – has “been an advocate for the family since 1991.”

How did Johnston get into a potential tax mess? It appears he made the mistake of trusting Bob Riley:

Johnston said he had been fighting gambling for years without much help. “We really never had a knight on a white horse. . . . We just had to fight it in legislature and kill the bills.” But according to Johnston in the last year of Bob Riley’s last term as governor that all change when the governor decided to fight gambling in the state.

According to Johnston, when Riley became interested in ridding the state of bingo gambling he was contacted by the Governor who said he wanted to help Johnston raise money.

“I don’t know why he [Riley] decided to do it [fight gambling] other than it was a propitious time to do it,” said Johnston. “Whatever he was doing was good. He was stopping illegal gambling.”

Riley's actions might not turn to be so good for Johnston's wallet. Here's why: At the time it seemed that Johnston had found his white knight. But there was a problem, rather than making a partnership with a crusading knight, it seems Johnston had unknowingly entered into a potential devil’s bargain.

After aligning with Riley and Hubbard in 2010, CBA raised and spent over $1 million after never taking in over $50,000 in a year ever before.

Based on 2010 campaign finance and other records, the CBA was a crucial conduit for passing campaign cash through the 501c(4) into a potentially lucrative aspect of Mike Hubbard’s financial bottom-line. . . .
Johnston said the money that his organization received was almost entirely for advertising, he said, “Mike was in that business and I thought it appropriate for him to handle it.”

Who was behind this financial shell game? Johnston points a finger squarely at Bob Riley. From Britt's report:

Money was being directed by Bob Riley, who told the head of the 501c(4) how the money was to be spent. Not just the large amounts but even the so-called small donations. “I would be informed by the governor’s office that I would be getting a check for 2 or 3 thousand dollars and we would have ad bills that cost that much,” said Johnston, “and that money would be for those bills.”

According to Johnston, “We ran a zero balance campaign. Whatever money came in was spent, a lot of it was coordinated through Mike Hubbard’s company.”

The Britt article references tax issues, but their implications are not clear:

Johnston supplied “Alabama Political Reporter” with a copy of CBA’s 990 IRS fillings. However, the document we received is different than the one that Johnston filed with the IRS, according to a comparison on Guide Star.

On the 990 fillings, Johnston does not itemize the over $700,000 he received from Hubbard’s Network PAC and Bob Riley’s Gov PAC. The rest of the money primarily originated with longtime big-money Bob Riley donors. Johnston, as the sole member of CBA, said, “I didn’t raise any money.”

I didn't raise any money? That sounds like the words of a man who is trying to say, "They should pay the IRS bill, not me."

And Britt's report raises all sorts of questions. Did the Riley/Hubbard/Johnston scheme violate tax laws, campaign-finance laws? Did donors know their campaign contributions were going to Mike Hubbard's companies? Could this constitute fraud, money laundering, or other criminal acts under state and/or federal laws? Could Eric Johnston wind up serving as a witness against Riley and Hubbard?

As a way to un-ruffle feathers, and fend off a potential investigation, will Bob Riley's big-money donors bail Johnston out of a jam? Based on what I've been told from individuals familiar with Riley's business practices, Johnston probably shouldn't count on it.

Don’t seems like there are friends in the Republican Party, after the selected few gotten what they desired and turned around a stab you in the back. After bringing this to your attention, I now wonder will federal prosecutors ever go after these low down filthy dogs. They crucified former Gov. Don Siegleman for no cause, but they try and run away with their dirty tricks and actions. Alabamians that care should burn up your phones and emails, and give the U.S. Postal Service some business by writing letters seeking an investigation into this matter.