The Montgomery Advertiser newspaper's blog on all things related to Alabama politics and state government, featuring the writings of Sebastian Kitchen and Markeshia Ricks
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Sparks begins general election campaign
With Republicans still in limbo over who will be in a runoff next month to decide its nominee for governor, Democratic nominee Ron Sparks moved forward with his campaign on Wednesday talking about taxing bingo, passing a lottery, holding BP accountable and criticizing state Republicans who have already attacked him. The popular two-term agriculture commissioner addressed the media at his Montgomery headquarters just hours after soundly defeating U.S. Rep. Artur Davis for the Democratic nomination. Sparks finished with 62 percent, claiming his third impressive statewide victory. He won his second term as agriculture commissioner in 2006 with victory in 62 of the state's 67 counties. Sparks talked about taxing gambling, the most predominant issue he pushed in the primary, about how Davis helped prepare him for the general election, and how Republicans began their attack "before the ink dried." He vowed to run a positive campaign, but he criticized the chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, state Rep. Mike Hubbard, for being so quick to attack him. The party released a statement soon after Sparks claimed victory on Tuesday, chastising him for supporting the health care overhaul passed by Congress and connecting him to two convicted felons, including former Gov. Don Siegelman, who endorsed Sparks. If the Republican Party wants to use those tactics, Sparks said "the people of Alabama will know Mike Hubbard" by November. Sparks said he has supported health care as agriculture commissioner and believes people deserve the opportunity to receive affordable health care. While there is a lot of rhetoric and emotion surrounding the health care issue, he said "there's nobody in Alabama who’s read that 2,000-page document." Sparks said people should give the law a chance and work to change portions that are not effective. Sparks, still enjoying his lopsided win the night before, said he has won Republican votes before. "There are Republicans who are hurting," he said. Sparks was asked why he believed voters would approve a state lottery when it was defeated soundly in 1999, when Siegelman was governor. He said the cost of tuition has almost doubled since then to about $30,000, the cost of health care has continued to rise, foreclosures are up, the unemployment rate is higher, and the banking system and auto industries collapsed. "The environment is totally different," Sparks said. The commissioner said he would not support a proposal that directed money to areas other than pre-kindergarten and scholarships. Sparks said the lottery has been successful in Georgia and helped thousands of children attend college. "The average family will not see their child's dream come true if I am not elected," he said. Sparks said he would call a special session after the inauguration, if he was elected, to push legislators to tax and regulate bingo. "There's too much money laying on the table ... ," he said. "There has been gambling in Alabama for 30 years. We need to get our head out of the sand and (stop) pretending there's not gambling in Alabama." "The bottom line is the people of Alabama are hurting." He has proposed using the revenue from taxing gaming to help fund education and Medicaid, which he said would he in a hole without the help from the stimulus money from Washington. Since early in the campaign, Sparks has said the "people of Alabama deserve the opportunity to vote." Sparks said his administration would be more accountable. He said he would hire an inspector general to ensure "every dime is spent wisely." Sparks said he has reached out to Davis, who asked Democrats to support Sparks in his concession speech on Tuesday." He said his Democratic rival helped prepare him for the general election by working hard and keeping the campaign on alert with tough shots. "He is a good congressman. We welcome his advice," Sparks said. Sparks credited his win to his support from black political organizations, 28 sheriffs, labor unions and a variety of other groups. While other people are attacking organizations, he said he would ask "everyone for their vote." "A governor brings people together," Sparks said. While Republicans are battling in a runoff to determine who faces Sparks in the general election, the commissioner said he hopes to organize and raise money. He said there were a lot of endorsements he did not receive, but said he and his staff worked long days.
The Sons of Liberty purchased more than $1 million in TV spots to air beginning this week and running up until the June 1 election. Many of the candidates were concerned they would be targeted. They thought that they would be targeted with this large media buy in the waning hours before the June 1 primary. The ad addresses the effects of gambling, alcohol and drugs, and how candidates have refused to take a stand. The commercial shows pictures of Democrats Artur Davis and Ron Sparks and Republicans Robert Bentley, Bradley Byrne and Tim James. The groups asks people to contact those candidates and ask them whether or not they support gambling in the state. The only top tier candidate who is not shown is Republican Roy Moore.
You can view the ad by going to: http://newlibertysons.com/
Bright scores better than other Democrats on Club for Growth report
Freshman U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright of Montgomery scored better than any other Democrat on a scorecard from the Club for Growth, which supports low-tax, pro-growth Republicans who want limited government. He also scored better than about two dozen Republicans including two Alabama Republicans, Rep. Mike Rogers of Saks and Rep. Parker Griffith of Huntsville. He also finished well ahead of Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham. Bright was in the middle of the pack among Alabama's seven congressmen. Rep. Jo Bonner of Mobile finished ahead of the pack with a score of 90 percent. Bright, with a score of 64 percent, was one of only three Democrats in Congress with a score of 50 percent or higher. The other Democrats are Rep. Gene Taylor of Mississippi and Rep. Walt Minnick of Idaho. Bright ranked 155th among the 435 members of the House. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, for example, scored a 7 percent. Some members, including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island and Rep. John Conyers of Michigan scored 0. Alabama's two U.S. senators, Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby, finished with strong scores. Sessions had a 100 percent score while Shelby had an 83 percent. The Club looked at lawmakers' records on "pro-growth policies" including reducing income tax rates, repealing the death tax, limited government through limited spending, social security reform with personal retirement accounts, free trade, lawsuit abuse, tort reform, education choice, and regulatory reform and deregulation. Members who refused earmarks were also awarded points. The lawmakers who score 90 percent or higher receive the Defender of Economic Freedom award.
U.S. Reps. John Lewis of Georgia and Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois have endorsed fellow Congressman Artur Davis' candidacy for governor of Alabama. The men will be featured in radio spots that begin airing before the primary election, which is June 1. "I am pleased that Jesse Jackson Jr. and John Lewis support my efforts to change Alabama," Davis said. "For seven years, I have worked with both of them to pass legislation that makes America stronger at home. I know they both have a history of ties to our state, and I am honored to have their help." Davis and Lewis worked together as members of the House Ways and Means Committee. They worked together on a variety of issues including expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to provide health care to an additional four million children. Lewis, an Alabama native, is a civil rights leader. Davis and Jackson were early supporters of then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign. They both supported Obama's economic stimulus plan and both men sponsored the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. The other Democrat running for governor is agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks. Seven Republicans are running for their party's nomination.
U.S. Rep. Artur Davis wants to improve the plight of the working women and part-time workers of Alabama and on Tuesday he announced his plan for how he’ll do it if he is elected governor.
With equal pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter at his side, Davis announced several incentives for working families and companies that he would implement if he elected governor in November.
“All too often we have compete based on how little we do for our people,” he said. “That time ought to be past. If we’re going to be in a race to the bottom, there are many parts of the world that have us beat. We must compete based on the quality of our workforce and the quality of our schools.
Davis said in addition to the child tax credit that he has proposed as part of his economic plan for the state, he would offer an additional childcare tax credit like those offered in Kentucky and Louisiana for parents who work full and part-time.
He also would make public a list of Alabama companies that are fully compliant with gender equality laws, and make gender equality a condition for doing business with the state. Companies that offer flexible leave policies for parents could also see rewards under Davis’ plan.
Davis criticized Gov. Bob Riley and the state Legislature for it’s failure to change state laws that would have allowed part-time workers and victim’s of domestic violence to receive unemployment benefits. Alabama was eligible for rejecting millions in stimulus money that the state would have received if it had expanded its unemployment benefits.
Riley had said previously that state employers would be stuck with the costs of the expansion when the stimulus money ran out. But Davis said changing the law is simply the right thing to do. He said that federal money is still available and if he were elected governor he would push for the expansion.
Ledbetter said Davis has a plan that will not only help women to be paid equally, but would also help families. Ledbetter is a former manager at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant in Gadsden who sued her company after she discovered that men were being paid significantly more money for work similar to what she did.
Her lawsuit was the impetus that led Congress to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Davis was the only member of the Alabama Congressional delegation who voted for the bill.
Davis is vying for the Democratic nomination for governor against Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks.
Sixteen current and former black Alabama mayors endorsed Artur Davis for governor on Thursday. They cited "his record of standing up for ordinary Alabamians and his vision for creating jobs and improving public schools." "I know Artur Davis, I know his track record of standing up and fighting for communities like mine, and I am proud to support him for governor," said Selma Mayor George Evans. Evans and his colleagues join Mobile Mayor Sam Jones, who previously endorsed Davis, a Montgomery native who represents Birmingham and much of the Black Belt in Congress. He and agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks are the Democratic candidates for governor. "For years, I have said that I do not need nor will I seek the permission of Montgomery's power brokers, regardless of race, to run for office and serve the people of Alabama," Davis said in a statement. "These grassroots endorsements are a signal that the era where one voice can speak for an entire community is over." The congressman said the mayors are the elected officials closest to the people they represent. Other mayors who endorsed Davis include: Kenneth Coachman of Fairfield in Jefferson County; Oscar Crawley of Lanett in Chambers County; Ed Daniels, former mayor of Marion in Perry County; Ron Davis of Prichard in Mobile County; Glenda Dubose of York in Sumter County; Fletcher Fountain, Sr., of Ft. Deposit in Lowndes County; Carrie Fulghum of Gainesville in Sumter County; Mary Fuseyamore of Pickensville in Pickens County; Stanley Hollie of Akron in Hale County; Jamaal Hunter of Uniontown in Perry County; Ronald Jones of North Courtland in Lawrence County; Edward May of Bessemer in Jefferson County; Willie Mae Powell of Shorter in Macon County; Raymond Steele of Eutaw in Greene County; and Roy Willingham of Emelle in Sumter County.
Sanders: Davis's decision could affect dynamic of endorsement
U.S. Rep. Artur Davis said he will not participate in the screening processes of three black political organizations as he seeks the Democratic nomination for governor because he believes black voters do not need permission from those groups and that they do not need a sample ballot to decide who to vote for. Davis, D-Birmingham, was responding to a press conference by leaders in the Alabama New South Coalition. One of those leaders, state Sen. Hank Sanders, said Davis being the lone member of the Congressional Black Caucus to vote against health care complicated the selection process and that he thought the screening process would help. Davis and Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks are the Democratic candidates. Sanders said he expects the vote over which candidate to endorse to be close at the Saturday convention. He said Davis not attending could "change the dynamic." Davis also criticized "coded language about the 'electability' of black candidates." Sanders said, when they formed the coalition, that they created five criteria to endorse candidates. He said electability is one of those criteria. The coalition could agree with a fringe candidate on all of the issues, but the candidate might not have a chance of getting elected, Sanders said. Sanders, who said he will be presiding and will sit his personal thoughts aside on Saturday, said he was not greatly surprised that Davis decided not to participate. He said Davis previously had talked to him about the New South endorsement and helping him try to win it. Davis also said he would not participate in the screening processes of the Alabama Democratic Conference and the Jefferson County Citizen's Coalition. He said he has great respect for the legacies of those organizations. "In fact, the best way to honor the legacy of Senator Sanders, Dr. Reed, and Dr. Arrington is for candidates to give black Alabamians the respect of honoring their independence and their capacity to make informed judgments," he said. Davis has been able to win without strong support from those organizations.
Greenville businessman Tim James, a Republican candidate for governor, unveiled a six-point plan on Monday that he says could help the state address its budget shortfall immediately. He suggests implementing unpaid furlough days for employees at all state government operations. James said furloughing all state employees for one day would save $6 million. The State Personnel Board passed a measure to allow furloughs, which members believed would give state agencies another option in addressing budget shortfalls besides layoffs. The Legislature blocked that policy. "We've got to put it back on the table," James said. He said part of campaigning is bringing awareness to issues. Furloughs would avoid layoffs and job cuts, James said. He also suggested an indefinite state hiring freeze, which was implemented by Gov. Bob Riley in late 2008. Riley and James have said the hiring freeze saves millions as workers leave through attrition. They also agree there should be some exceptions including corrections officers. James supports passage of legislation that would create an Office of Inspector General, who would be appointed by the governor and given authority to conduct independent audits and inspections of all state operations. The goal, he said, is to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and to "eliminate waste, fraud and abuse." James also supports random audits of state departments and agencies. The results would be published on the state's Web site. He also wants to reduce all non-essential travel and entertainment, except for economic development, law enforcement, and that related to emergencies. The other facet of his plan is independent reviews of existing and pending state contracts to determine whether they comply with state guidelines and whether there is an opportunity for additional savings through bringing those legal, accounting, engineering, architecture and computer technology services in-house. James said he did not have a total of how much his proposals would save, but that it would not be enough to fill the several hundred million-dollar-hole in the state's budgets. He said the plan helps address the decreased revenue coming into the state without a tax increase. James, who was talking on the State House steps in front of about two dozen supporters, repeatedly emphasized that the state should not rely on money from Washington to balance the budget. "You can’t budget money you don't have," he said. Riley has said the state has to anticipate money from the federal government every year in crafting a budget. The state receives hundreds of millions of dollars to use for Medicaid, transportation, and other programs. A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, a Democrat running for governor, said in a statement that several months ago the congressman released "a detailed plan to audit state government, eliminate waste and fraud and save Alabama taxpayers $664 million." "We welcome Tim James to the cause of taxpayer protection, but find it disappointing that he has introduced a plan that generates no specific savings while wrongly placing a tremendous financial burden on the backs of state employees," said spokesman Alex Goepfert. The candidates, who are among nine who have announced they are running for governor, have more information about their plans on their Web sites.
U.S. Rep. Artur Davis said there is opposition from Alabama's senators to the nomination of Joe Van Heest to be the next U. S. attorney in this district so he is nominating defense attorney George Beck. Davis, in a statement, said he has learned the White House will not nominate Van Heest for the chief prosecutor in the Middle District of Alabama because of the state's U.S. Senate delegation. "I believe that Van Heest would have made a superb chief federal prosecutor for the district, and I am disappointed that he will not have the opportunity to serve," Davis said. The congressman, a Birmingham Democrat who is running for governor, said he will instead recommend Beck to the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice. He said Beck is a longtime veteran of the Montgomery legal community. "Beck has built a bipartisan reputation as one of the most respected and successful members of the state's criminal defense bar and in my opinion would be confirmed by the United States Senate," Davis said. Beck did not respond to calls to his Montgomery law office on Thursday afternoon. Attempts to reach Alabama's U.S. senators, Richard Shelby of Tuscaloosa and Jeff Sessions of Mobile, were unsuccessful. Some Democrats have voiced their displeasure over Beck because he represented Nick Bailey, a key defense witness in the case against former Gov. Don Siegelman. Attorneys in the Middle District prosecuted Siegelman.
South Union Street is the blog of Montgomery Advertiser political reporters Markeshia Ricks and Sebastian Kitchen. Always check here for the latest on the Legislature, elections and other activities and players in Alabama.
