Dems slam latest party switcher

Alabama Democrats are criticizing a Limestone County official who announced Monday he was switching parties.

Limestone County Circuit Court Judge Robert Baker announced Monday, less than four months after being elected as a Democrat without opposition, that he was switching parties to become a Republican.

"Judge Baker ran unopposed in last year's election and more than 14,000 Limestone County residents still turned out to cast a ballot in his favor on the Democratic party line," said Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy. "Changing parties four months after your re-election reeks of political opportunism, especially when there are many qualified Democratic candidates who may have deferred to the incumbent when he qualified to run for another term in office last year."

Democrats in Limestone County "have strongly backed Judge Baker at the ballot box, and it is unfortunate that he would choose to throw away years of support from these dedicated Democratic voters just to seek short-term political gain," according to the Alabama Democratic Party.

Democrats are undeterred by Baker's "misguided" switch and vowed "full backing" of a future Democratic opponent for the judge. On Saturday, according to the Alabama Democratic Party, there was a standing room only meeting of Limestone County Democrats in Tanner.

Baker is the latest in a series of county officials who have left the Alabama Democratic Party.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Senator comes under fire for immigration comments

Alabama Democrats are among those criticizing a powerful state senator for referencing firearms when talking about taking care of illegal immigration.
In a speech to the Cullman County Republican Party, Sen. Scott Beason finished remarks about finding solutions to illegal immigration by saying "empty the clip, and do what has to be done."
Beason, a Gardendale Republican who is the chairman of the committee that determines which bills come before the Senate for debate, has come under fire from some for comments that some consider inflammatory, especially for using that phrase following the tragic shooting in Tucson, Ariz.
Beason has since told the Associated Press he did not suggest any violence toward illegal immigrants or Hispanics. He told the Birmingham News he was using an analogy.
"Senator Beason's remarks in Cullman were unnecessary and dangerous, particularly in light of the recent tragic shootings in Tuscon," said Mark Kennedy, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. "If Republicans are truly interested in pursuing sensible immigration reform, they should put a stop to this reckless rhetoric about emptying gun clips and build on the strong ties our Democratic Legislature made with the business community to hold corporations accountable for their part in enabling illegal workers."
Beason has been an outspoken advocate for immigration reform and said he would like to see Alabama pass some of the reforms passed in other states like Arizona.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Democrats blast Republicans for restricting access to legislators

The Alabama Democratic Party is taking the new Republican legislative leadership to task for its proposal to restrict public access to legislative hallways and offices in the upcoming regular session.

Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard and Senate President Pro-Tem Del Marsh announced plans Monday to restrict access in the wake of the shootings in Tuscon, Ariz. The plan calls for stopping the public and lobbyists from being able to wander in and out of legislative offices on days when the Legislature is in session.

New Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy said in a press release Wednesday that the new rules would only allow legislators the opportunity to duck questions and concerns from voters.

“After 136 years of open door policies under Democratic leadership, a new day of Republican control has dawned in the Alabama Legislature, but the sun isn't shining," he said.

Kennedy went on to say in the press release that Hubbard’s use of the Tuscon shooting to draw a parallel to security at the Alabama State House was a stretch, because that incident took place outside the walls of the U.S. Capitol and Congressional office buildings. He said both the capitol and office buildings were the public has free access.

Kennedy also said that there is a police presence at the State House and visitors are required to pass through metal detectors and security checkpoints at the door.

Kennedy said the changes would do nothing more than facilitate questionable closed door meetings and possibly skirt the new ethics law recently passed in the special session.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Turnham steps down, state Dems to elect new chairman

Alabama Democrats will elect a new chairman later this month after Joe Turnham informed executive committee members he will resign effective Jan. 29.
Turnham said he sent his letter resigning as chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party to state committee members on Wednesday. He said they would meet on Jan. 29 in downtown Montgomery to elect his successor.
He said the only candidate who has publicly expressed interest in running is former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mark Kennedy.
While the committee members will ultimately vote on his successor, Turnham said "I have a high level of comfort with Mark Kennedy."
He said he has talked to Kennedy several times and that he has the maturity, wisdom, drive and intellect "to really build the party at this tough fork in the road." Kennedy is the son-in-law of former Govs. George and Lurleen Wallace.
Turnham, who has served as chairman for three nonconsecutive terms, was elected to another term last year, but said he never intended to serve very long after the 2010 election. He was first elected in 1995.
"I nearly left after the '08 election," he said. "A lot of folks knew it was going to be a very challenging cycle. They asked me to stay on and I did."
Turnham said he is ready to move on with his personal and professional life, and to turn the party over to someone else.
He has been active in Democratic Party politics for decades, running four of his father's campaigns for the Legislature, twice being the Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress, serving as a county chairman, and as state chairman. He also started the state's conservation lobby.
Turnham, 51, said he did all of that in the last 25 years.
"I am just physically and mentally and politically exhausted," he said. "It was probably the toughest cycle in two generations. ... I just know it is time for other people to step up in this environment and build."
Turnham said that last week he appointed attorney Ed Gentle, an Auburn and University of Alabama law school graduate and Rhodes scholar, to serve as party treasurer. He said that since the Legislature voted to overhaul campaign finance laws in the state that they have been assembling a "strong financial plan" for the party.
Turnham said he has been working on the transition to a new chairman for about two months.
Turnham said he was at the helm when the state elected the first Democratic governor since Wallace in 1998, elected the first female chief justice in 2006, won several other races statewide, and held the Legislature for two of those three terms.
"We've had some good times and some tough times," he said.
Turnham said the party has also helped to elect Democrats, including judges, county commissioners and superintendents, at the local level and has improved technology and outreach with its voter files.
Moving forward, Turnham said he hopes to help in several economic development ventures.
He acknowledged his time at the party has prepared him to work for a non-profit or a corporation. Turnham said he has developed some skills and "some pretty thick skin."
"The Democratic Party is a tough place to govern internally," he said, adding there are a "lot of competing factions and personalities."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen