Donald Trump calls on Florida Democrat to concede, implies fraud
President Donald Trump sought to intervene in Florida’s legally mandated vote recount Tuesday, calling on the state’s Democratic senator to admit defeat and again implying without evidence that officials in two pivotal counties are trying to steal the election. “When will Bill Nelson concede in Florida?” Trump said in a morning tweet. “The characters running Broward and Palm Beach voting will not be able to ‘find’ enough votes, too much spotlight on them now!” There have been bumps as Florida undergoes recounts for both the governor and Senate races. Palm Beach County said it won’t finish its recount by the Thursday deadline. In oft-criticized Broward County, additional sheriff’s deputies were sent to guard ballots and voting machines, a compromise aimed at alleviating concerns. Those counties are both Democratic strongholds. Still, the state elections department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which are run by Republican appointees, have said they have seen no evidence of voter fraud. A Broward County judge challenged anyone who has evidence of fraud to file a report. Meanwhile, a flurry of legal action continued. Nelson and a Democratic campaign committee filed two more lawsuits on Tuesday, including one that asks a federal judge to set aside looming deadlines for a machine recount as well as a hand recount, if it is ordered. Presidents have historically sought to rise above the heated partisan drama surrounding election irregularities. Former President Barack Obama wasn’t so publicly involved when a recount and legal process in the 2008 election delayed a Democrat taking a Minnesota Senate seat until July 2009. Former President Bill Clinton struck a lower tone during the 2000 presidential recount, which also centered on Florida. But this year, the Florida recount was personal for Trump. He aggressively campaigned in the state in the waning days of the election and put his finger on the scales of the Republican gubernatorial primary this summer by endorsing former Rep. Ron DeSantis. After Election Day, Trump’s aides pointed to the GOP’s seeming success in the state as a validation that the president’s path to re-election remained clear — a narrative that has grown hazier as the outcomes have become less certain. White House spokeswoman Mercedes Schlapp said Tuesday the president “obviously has his opinion” on the recount. “It’s been incredibly frustrating to watch,” she said. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump is attempting to bully Florida election officials out of doing their jobs. Schumer and Nelson, both Democrats, spoke with reporters Tuesday in Washington. “It’s just plain wrong. It’s un-American.” Schumer said. “If he really wants an honest and fair election, President Trump will stop bullying, harassing and lying about the vote in Florida, and let the election proceed without the heavy hand of the president tipping the scale of justice.” Schumer said election officials should have all the time they need to count every vote, rather than Sunday’s deadline. Nelson and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee filed two lawsuits aimed at that goal. One lawsuit questions rules used by the state for hand recounts, while a second asks a federal judge to give counties more time to complete both a machine and a hand recount. Right now counties are doing a machine recount. Marc Elias, a campaign attorney for Nelson, contended there was no legal need for the existing deadlines since the Senate winner would not be sworn in until January. Still, there’s not much choice but for Florida to go through the process. State law requires a machine recount in races where the margin is less than 0.5 percentage points. In the Senate race, Republican Rick Scott‘s lead over Nelson was 0.14 percentage points. In the governor’s contest, unofficial results showed Republican former Rep. Ron DeSantis ahead of Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum by 0.41 percentage points. Once the recount is complete, if the differences in any of the races are 0.25 percentage points or less, a hand recount will be ordered, meaning it could take even longer to complete the review of the Senate race if the difference remains narrow. The recount process has drawn a sharp focus on several county election officials, especially Broward Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes. Snipes has drawn criticism from Trump and other high-profile Republicans as her county’s election returns showed a narrowing lead for Scott during the ballot-counting in the days after Election Day, and even former Gov. Jeb Bush — who appointed her in 2003 — said she should be removed. Asked about those criticisms Tuesday, she hinted that she may not run for re-election in 2020. “It is time to move on,” she said, later adding, “I’ll check with my family and they’ll tell me what I’m doing.” Speaking to about 200 supporters in Orlando church Tuesday night, Gillum said claims without evidence by Trump, Scott and Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio that electoral fraud was taking place were sowing seeds that could undermine confidence in the democratic process. “Disenfranchisement shows up with the president of the United States, the sitting governor of the state of Florida, the junior senator of the United States from the state of Florida when they take to Twitter, and Facebook and … accuse the supervisor of elections, or an entire county for that matter, of fraud, of stuffing the ballot box, of doing everything they could do manipulate the outcome of the election without a shred of evidence. That is called disenfranchisement,” Gillum said. Meanwhile, in Palm Beach, Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher said the county’s 11-year-old tallying machines aren’t fast enough to complete the recount by Thursday. The county is doing the Senate race first and will then do the governor’s race. If the deadline is not met in a race, the results it reported Saturday will stand. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Alabama House GOP re-elects Nathaniel Ledbetter, Connie Rowe to leadership
The 77-member Alabama House Republican Caucus has once again put its faith in Rainsville-Republican, State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter electing him to serve another term as House Majority Leader, as well as Jasper-Republican, State Rep. Connie Rowe to serve again as its vice chair. The two leaders will hold their positions throughout the 2018 – 2022 quadrennium. Killen-Republican, State Rep. Phillip Pettus, a retired state trooper serving his second term in office, was elected to serve as the secretary/treasurer for the Caucus. House Majority Leader Ledbetter As majority leader, Ledbetter will determine what legislation comes up for a vote before the state House and when it moves on the calendar. “I am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence that my Republican colleagues have continued to place in me, and I look forward to continuing my service as their leader for the next four years,” Ledbetter said in a statement. “Republicans added to our already impressive supermajority in the general election cycle, and I will work to ensure that the bills, measures, and resolutions passed by the House reflect the same conservative beliefs and traditional values that Alabama’s voters share.” Ledbetter, a former mayor and city council member in Rainsville, was elected to the Alabama House in 2014. Originally elected as House Majority Leader in 2017, he was the first freshman member to serve in that post in modern times. Caucus Vice Chair Rowe Prior to her election to the Alabama House in 2014, Rowe served as the police chief in Jasper, Alabama and was previously employed as an investigator for the Walker County District Attorney’s Office for more than 20 years. “I look forward to being a part of the Republican leadership team as we work to enact the conservative agenda that voters overwhelmingly endorsed at the polls,” Rowe said. “By sticking together and offering a unified front, House Republicans have a tremendous opportunity to move Alabama forward over the next four years.”
EPA’s Southeastern chief indicted on Alabama ethics charges
The man appointed by President Donald Trump’s administration to run the Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeastern regional office has been indicted, along with a former business partner, on state ethics charges in Alabama. News outlets reported Tuesday that Trey Glenn and a former business partner, Scott Phillips, are charged with multiple ethics violations in Birmingham. The ethics law prohibits officials from using their office for personal financial gain and from soliciting or receiving money or other things of value. Glenn was appointed in August 2017 as administrator of the EPA’s regional office in Atlanta, which oversees eight Southeastern states. He had served previously as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and also worked as a business lobbyist who opposed federal Superfund cleanup efforts in Birmingham. An EPA spokesman didn’t immediately return an email on Glenn’s behalf, and court records aren’t available to show whether Glenn or Phillips have attorneys. Al.com reported that Glenn and Phillips each maintained their innocence in statements sent by a worker at a law firm in Montgomery. The newspaper reported that charges against them include multiple violations of Alabama’s Ethics Act, including soliciting a thing of value from a principal, lobbyist or subordinate, and receiving money in addition that received in one’s official capacity. Glenn worked for nearly five years as director of Alabama’s environment department, where his tenure ended abruptly. The Alabama Ethics Commission in 2007 found unanimously that there was probable cause Glenn, may have violated the state ethics law to get his job and to obtain personal trips. He was also investigated for a personal family trip to Disney World that was paid for by a public relations firm that represented a client doing business with his agency. Glenn was eventually cleared of criminal wrongdoing in the case, but resigned in 2009 after the ethics investigations. Phillips is a former chairman of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission. After Glenn left the state environmental agency, he formed a lobbying firm with Phillips. Both were involved in opposing a federal Superfund cleanup in Birmingham. A former state lawmaker, Oliver Robinson, has pleaded guilty and two others — Drummond Co. executive David Roberson and attorney Joel Gilbert — were convicted on charges linked to that project. Glenn and Phillips each testified in the trial of Roberson and Gilbert this summer. Roberson and Gilbert were convicted on charges they bribed Robinson to oppose efforts by the EPA to clean up a Birmingham neighborhood in Robinson’s district. EPA’s Region 4, headquartered in Atlanta, includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
With the Census on the horizon, Alabama’s growing population already impacting driver’s license numbers
Sure the 2020 Census may still be more than a year away, but Alabama’s growing population is already making an impact when it comes to state issued driver’s licenses. On Tuesday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) said it’s adding an eighth digit to all new driver licenses issued by the state starting Dec. 1 to account for the state’s growing population. According to the AP, “Census statistics show the state’s estimated population at 4.9 million people in 2017. That’s an increase of about 2 percent since 2010.” But driver’s license numbers aren’t the only thing 2020 U.S. Census could impact. Depending on participation levels and what the results indicate, Alabama risks losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representative as well as a vote in the Electoral College, and also federal funds. Alabama’s Census lawsuit Back in May, Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a lawsuit against the federal government over what they said was the Census Bureau‘s “unlawful” decision to include of illegal immigrants in census data “used to determine the apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Electoral College.” “If the U.S. Census Bureau follows through with its plan to include illegal aliens in the 2020 census for purposes of apportionment, Alabama will lose both a seat in the U.S. House of Representative and a vote in the Electoral College,” explained Marshall. “Alabama’s loss will be another state’s gain, as states with a growing illegal alien population will be the beneficiary of this reapportionment. I have joined with Congressman Mo Brooks in filing suit against the federal government to stop the inclusion of illegal aliens in the census’s apportionment population. The Constitution does not permit the dilution of our legal residents’ right to equal representation in this manner.” The U.S. Census Bureau has until Tuesday, Nov. 13 to respond to the state’s lawsuit seeking to exclude immigrants living in the country illegally from U.S. Census counts.
Auto supplier Hwashin to add 50 jobs with $26M Alabama expansion
Auto supplier Hwashin America Corp. announced plans to expand its Butler County manufacturing operation with a $26 million investment in new equipment and 50 new jobs. Hwashin, which produces body components for Hyundai’s Alabama auto assembly plant, has been in expansion mode since arriving in Greenville in 2003. The operation began with a 150,000-square-foot facility and 200 workers. Today, the company’s 650,000-square-foot plant is staffed with more than 750 workers. “Companies have a choice regarding where they locate and expand. We appreciate the confidence Hwashin has shown in Greenville and Butler County since 2003,” said David Crenshaw, chairman of the Butler County Commission for Economic Development (BCCED). To facilitate the company’s latest expansion, the Greenville City Council granted statutory tax abatements at a Nov. 5 meeting. The expansion is projected to boost payroll by $1 million and increase property tax revenue to the Butler County School System by more than $500,000 over 10 years. “We are excited about the new jobs and investment Hwashin has committed to Greenville,” said Mayor Dexter McLendon. “Great things happen when city and county governments work together toward a common goal.” Hwashin America is investing $26 million in an expansion at its Greenville auto parts plant, creating 50 jobs. (Hwashin) Growth story After repeated investments in its Greenville manufacturing operation, Hwashin has become Butler County’s largest industrial employer. Data from the Alabama Department of Commerce show that the company has invested more than $200 million in the facility. BCCED Executive Director David Hutchison said his agency and Butler County officials work hard to support the area’s existing industry. “Announcements like this are the return on investment of our efforts,” Hutchison said. Hwashin’s latest expansion comes amid a sharp growth spurt for Alabama’s auto industry, which includes a wide-ranging network of suppliers across the state. Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama is also growing, after announcing a $388 million expansion project at its Montgomery assembly plant. Butler County Commission Chairman Darrell Sanders welcomed Hwashin’s expansion. “We are delighted that Hwashin, by announcing their expansion plans, will continue to create jobs and wages that will in turn add new income to the Butler County Schools,” Sanders said. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Doug Jones asks Donald Trump to aid Alabamians impacted by Hurricane Michael
It has been a month since Hurricane Michael ravaged parts the Yellowhammer State and communities throughout the state are still recovering. On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones asked President Donald Trump to step in and help. Jones wrote the president a letter requesting approval for Individual Assistance (IA) grants for Alabamians who were impacted by the storm. Individual assistance makes federal funding available to individuals and households, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs. Low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs are also made available under federal individual assistance. A Major Disaster Declaration was approved last week, but it only provided Public Assistance (PA) grants. PA funds can be directed to local governments and community organizations, but cannot go to individuals who are recovering from a natural disaster. According to Jones, IA grants are vital in order for impacted Alabamians to fully recover. “The people of Alabama are grateful for the Public Assistance grants approved in the Major Disaster Declaration dated November 5, 2018, but more relief is clearly needed,” Jones wrote. “I am aware that a determination as to the availability of Individual Assistance (IA) grants is still under review, and I urge you to approve IA grants as soon as possible. The effects of Hurricane Michael have been devastating to our state, and without individual federal assistance, many areas may never fully recover.” Pointing out that neighboring counties in Florida and Georgia received IA grants, Jones went on to write, “The people and the State of Alabama are resilient, but as in Georgia and Florida, the recovery efforts in this case require resources beyond their reserves.” The full text of Jones’ letter is below: President Donald J. Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: I write to thank you for the support you have provided the citizens of the State of Alabama in their efforts to recover from damage caused by Hurricane Michael in October. The people of Alabama are grateful for the Public Assistance grants approved in the Major Disaster Declaration dated November 5, 2018, but more relief is clearly needed. I am aware that a determination as to the availability of Individual Assistance (IA) grants is still under review, and I urge you to approve IA grants as soon as possible. The effects of Hurricane Michael have been devastating to our state, and without individual federal assistance, many areas may never fully recover. The supplemental materials submitted by Brian Hastings, Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, on November 5, 2018, show that adjacent counties in the States of Georgia and Florida experienced similar impacts and have already been approved for IA grants. The people and the State of Alabama are resilient, but as in Georgia and Florida, the recovery efforts in this case require resources beyond their reserves. Thank you very much for your prompt consideration of this request. Sincerely, Doug Jones United States Senator CC: Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Department of Homeland Security Administrator Brock Long, Federal Emergency Management Agency Ms. Gracia Szczech, Regional Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency Col. Brian Hastings, Director, Alabama Emergency Management Agency
Florida recount chugs along as more irregularities surface
Florida’s election recount is chugging along as more irregularities are uncovered and a judge asked the warring sides to “ramp down the rhetoric,” saying it erodes public confidence in the election for Senate and governor. One county revealed Monday that it had allowed some hurricane-displaced voters to cast their ballots by email — a violation of state law. Another had to restart its recount after getting about a quarter finished because someone forgot to push a button. Palm Beach said it won’t finish its recount by the Thursday deadline. And in oft-criticized Broward County, additional sheriff’s deputies were sent to guard ballots and voting machines, even though a judge said no Republican who has publicly alleged fraud in the county’s process — a list that includes President Donald Trump and Gov. Rick Scott — has presented any evidence to law enforcement. “An honest vote count is no longer possible” in Florida, Trump declared Monday, without elaborating. He demanded that the election night results — which showed the Republicans leading based upon incomplete ballot counts — be used to determine the winner. Trump went on to allege that “new ballots showed up out of nowhere, and many ballots are missing or forged” and that “ballots (are) massively infected.” It was unclear what he was referring to. State law requires a machine recount in races where the margin is less than 0.5 percentage points. In the Senate race, Scott’s lead over incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson was 0.14 percentage points. In the governor’s contest, unofficial results showed Republican former Rep. Ron DeSantis ahead of Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum by 0.41 percentage points. Once the recount is complete, if the differences in any of the races are 0.25 percentage points or less, a hand recount will be ordered. All 67 counties face a state-ordered deadline of Thursday to finish their recounts. Trump’s comments came just hours before Broward Chief Circuit Judge Jack Tuter held an emergency hearing on a request by Scott’s lawyers that deputies be put in charge of ballots and voting machines that aren’t being used until the recount is over. An attorney for Election Supervisor Brenda Snipes described layers of security including keycard and password access to rooms where ballots are kept, secured by deputies and monitored by security cameras and representatives of both campaigns and parties. Scott’s lawyers had alleged in court documents that Snipes was engaging in “suspect and unlawful vote counting practices” that violate state law and that she might “destroy evidence of any errors, accidents or unlawful conduct.” The judge said he could see no evidence of any violations, and said “I am urging because of the highly public nature of this case to ramp down the rhetoric.” “If someone in this lawsuit or someone in this county has evidence of voter fraud or irregularities at the supervisor’s office, they should report it to their local law enforcement officer,” Tuter said. “If the lawyers are aware of it, they should swear out an affidavit, but everything the lawyers are saying out there in front of the elections office is being beamed all over the country. We need to be careful of what we say. Words mean things these days.” Scott’s motion was supported by lawyers representing the state Republican Party and opposed by Snipes’ office, Nelson’s campaign and the state Democratic Party. After Tuter told all sides to meet to discuss a compromise, they agreed to add three deputies to the elections office. Meanwhile, Elections Supervisor Mark Andersen in heavily Republican Bay County told the Miami Herald on Monday that he allowed about 150 people to cast ballots by email, which is illegal under state law. The county was devastated by a Category 4 hurricane in October, and Scott ordered some special provisions for early voting there. Manatee County, south of Tampa Bay, had to restart its recount Monday because a needed button on the machine wasn’t pushed. The error was caught after about a quarter of the county’s nearly 165,000 votes had been recounted, said Michael Bennett, the county’s Republican elections supervisor. It shouldn’t affect the county’s ability to meet Thursday’s deadline. In Palm Beach, Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher said the county’s 11-year-old tallying machines aren’t fast enough to complete the recount by Thursday. The county is doing the Senate race first and will then do the governor. If the deadline is not met in a race, the results it reported last Saturday will stand. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Rauf Bolden: Bridge2NoWhere in Orange Beach
Joe Emerson is a man of action. He made an activist’s move over three years ago, establishing a Facebook Group, presently having 2660+ members called: End The Bridge2Nowhere. The group opposes an $87 million state-funded flyover bridge (Diagram 1 below) west of the Foley Beach Express in Orange Beach. The flyover bridge (Diagram 1) is scheduled for 2019, ostensibly alleviating tourist traffic, and providing a hurricane-evacuation route from Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. The Wolf Bay Bridge (Diagram 2) is another proposed project next to Doc’s, but funded by the City of Orange Beach not the State of Alabama. The two bridges have different funding. It is easy to confuse the two, being only a few miles apart on Canal Road. This piece is concerned with opposition to the flyover bridge. Although the Wolf Bay Bridge is mentioned, it is not the focus of any opposition in Orange Beach. Joe’s Facebook Group argues the taxpayer-funded flyover bridge is a misuse of the State of Alabama’s infrastructure money. According to a report by Apryl Marie Fogel at Alabama Today, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) cannot explain how the decision was made; funding the ALDOT approved flyover bridge in Orange Beach with state taxpayer dollars. Mayor Tony Kennon of Orange Beach thinks Joe’s group does not have all the facts, “…load up and come to a council meeting so that u can get the facts, the real truth and stop being educated into further ignorance by following this site,” posted Mayor Tony Kennon on Facebook. Public Meeting Notice: The City of Gulf Shores is hosting a comments meeting, as required by the Corps of Engineers, discussing the flyover bridge on November 15, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., in the Gulf Shores Activity Center, 260 Club House Drive, Gulf Shores, Ala.. This meeting should clarify any doubts regarding the actual location of the proposed flyover bridge, allowing citizens to submit letters for or against the project. Send your email to: swinfo@dot.state.al.us. “Right now, there is a proposal to take that damn flyover [bridge] out of our backyard [in Craft Farms]. Supposedly they are going to move the road further east closer to the Foley Beach Express. I don’t have anything set in stone they’re going to totally do away with the flyover,” said Mike Powell in a report by the Lagniappe. “This [flyover] bridge and roadway will be built,” said Gulf Shores Mayor Craft at a Council Meeting, reported in the Mullet Wrapper. The Mayor’s comments carry weight, summarizing the public hearing on November 15 as simply a formality by the Corps of Engineers. His comments essentially galvanize opponents of the flyover bridge with a mix of alarm and apathy. It seems the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores have already decided to endorse the project. Residents care about how their tax dollars are spent. “I think a [flyover] bridge west of the toll bridge would be a redundant idea, east of the bridge would be a better idea,” said Jonathan Christie, an eight year resident of Orange Beach. “Living in the Josephine community, I am afraid of the growth and everything that goes with that [Wolf Bay Bridge],” explained Deputy Chief Greg Duck (retired), a veteran of the Orange Beach Police Department. “Neither [bridge] makes sense to me,” Karen Clark, a 39-year resident of Orange Beach said. “It seems to me that [flyover] bridge [will only be another place that cars will be dumped on to Canal Road — they’ll then either have to go east or west just like they do coming off of the Foley Beach Express. That won’t help the traffic problem on Canal. What I think is really needed is another road south to beach highway,” added a resident of over 20 years, requesting anonymity. The Facebook Group argues the flyover bridge is not needed, but others disagree. “If we give them [tourists] another option [flyover bridge], a free option and potentially a quicker option than Highway 59, you’re removing 20 percent of the traffic off of Highway 59. The largest pinch point on this island is that bridge [on Hwy 59],” said Blake Phelps, Gulf Shores Director of Economic Development, in a report by the Mullet Wrapper. One wonders if the sole motivation of the flyover bridge is to put the privately owned toll bridge (Foley Beach Express) out of business. Perhaps the Orange Beach City Council is planning to acquire the Toll Plaza in receivership for pennies on the dollar, giving residents a healthy return on their public-private partnership. ••• Rauf Bolden is retired IT Director at the City of Orange Beach, working as an IT & Web Consultant on the Beach Road. He can be reached at: publisher@velvetillusion.com.
Election reignites calls for change at Democratic Party
Alabama Democrats’ disappointing performance in Tuesday’s election has reignited calls for changes within the state party, with critics saying candidates were largely left to fend for themselves despite available party funds. Democratic candidates were generally held to about 40 percent of the vote in statewide races, crushing hopes that the party could build on last year’s election of U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, or at least demonstrate themselves as viable with competitive races. The losses rekindled long simmering tensions, with several 2018 candidates calling for new leadership or at least a new approach. “When you have a losing season and a losing season and a losing season, the coach goes,” said former Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, who ran in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Cobb earlier this year called for the resignations of Alabama Democratic Party Chair Nancy Worley and Vice-Chairman Joe Reed. Mallory Hagan, a former news anchor and Miss America who ran in Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District, used her election night speech to say that Democrats upset over the loss should be “mad at our own” party. Chief Justice candidate Bob Vance stopped short of calling for a change in leadership but he said the party needs a “new approach” and said promises of help never substantially materialized. The Democratic Party, which has been silent for months at a time on social media, has been criticized for not being an active presence to promote the Democratic brand and candidates. The party had about $800,000 combined in its state and federal accounts that it did not exhaust on efforts to back candidates. “That’s the burr under my saddle that the party had the capability and chose not to do anything with it,” Vance said. Worley defended the party’s efforts and spending decisions. She said the party did have more money from qualifying fees this year, but had to hold money back for operating expenses, to pay debt and because of restrictions on how funds can be used. Worley estimated the party spent about $250,000 on efforts for candidates, including fliers that pictured all the statewide candidates, and five days of radio and TV ads urging people to vote Democratic. “Pointing the finger of blame at any single person after an election in just using the scapegoat method,” Worley said There are two separate petitions with the Democratic National Committee that were filed before Tuesday contesting Worley’s August election as chairwoman. One of the petitions alleges that “elections were conducted in a sloppy and haphazard manner” and “deliberately manipulated” in order to favor Worley and others. Worley said that they will file a response to those complaints. Democrats in Alabama had been obliterated from statewide office — until Jones’ election last year. Sheila Gilbert, chairwoman of the Alabama Democratic Reform Caucus, said while state candidates had a 20-point deficit there were some close legislative races that she believed could have benefited from state party help. Many veteran candidates had been modest in their expectations for Tuesday, not expecting a blue wave, but perhaps a blue ripple or at least slimmer margins in state races. “I’m not sure that we could have moved the needle much, even if we had brought all these forces to bear, but certainly the absence of a meaningful party, not just for this election cycle, but for years now, I think has contributed to these problems which really became evident this last Tuesday,” Vance said. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
