Jimmy Blake hits Kay Ivey on dark money
In the closing days of the gubernatorial campaign, the Libertarian nominee for governor – Dr. James “Jimmy” Blake has attacked incumbent Governor Kay Ivey for accepting large donations from a dark money group in Virginia. Blake spoke with Alabama Today about this issue on Wednesday. “It avoids being honest with the people of Alabama,” Blake said when asked if taking the money was an attempt to violate the spirit of Alabama’s ban on Pac to Pac transfers law. By donating to the nonprofit corporation in Virginia, the group is able to donate to Ivey’s campaign without disclosing the true source of the money. “It could be the companies building the Governor’s new prisons. we just don’t know,” Blake stated. “Kay Ivey has received 1.7 million in Dark Money,” Blake’s campaign wrote on Facebook. “We don’t know who donated this dark money. But the mailing address for it is the same building as the Republican Governors Association in Northern Virginia. Don’t let dark money buy this election. Vote Dr. Jimmy Blake for Governor of Alabama!!!” Blake referenced a report from WBRC Fox 6 during the primary season that the Ivey campaign received two extremely large “dark money” contributions from a non-profit corporation in northern Virginia. This corporation does not have to report where the money came from. Then Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Stacy George made an issue of the dark money during the primary, but voters still preferred Ivey over him and the other seven Republicans in the May 24 primary field. George, who recently quit his position with the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), is again making headlines again for his criticism of conditions within the prison system. Blake has also criticized Ivey for her handling of the prisons and the “inhumane” conditions there that are drawing national headlines. In 1986, the Alabama Democratic Party had commanding supermajorities in the Alabama Legislature, and Democrats dominated the courts and controlled how the constitutional statewide positions, including the governor’s office. Today, the Alabama Republican Party has commanding supermajorities in the Alabama Legislature, and Republicans dominate the courts and control how the constitutional statewide positions, including the governor’s office. “The power players have stayed the same they just changed from blue Democratic jerseys to red Republican jerseys,” Blake maintains. “Our state has been highjacked by big government Republican insiders who in the primary nudges out the honest small government conservatives,” Blake said in a video on his Rumble account. In addition to attacking Ivey, Blake has turned his attention to the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Katie Britt whom Blake called a “lobbyist for big government Washington special interests.” Blake has endorsed his friend, the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate, John Sophocleus, in the Senate race. Blake is a medical doctor, former Birmingham City Councilman, former owner of American Family Healthcare – Birmingham’s first urgent care clinic, and former chairman of the Libertarian Party of Alabama. He has a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a medical degree from UAB. The are 65 Libertarian candidates running on the ballot this November. “We believe that the ship of state must be turned back into the direction of more freedom and less government control,” Blake said. Democratic nominee for Governor Yolanda Flowers will also appear on the ballot along with Blake and Ivey in Tuesday’s election. Pastor Dean Odle and independent Jared Budlong are running as write-in candidates. Voters will go to the polls and vote on their leaders for numerous offices on Tuesday. They will also vote on ten constitutional amendments as well as whether or not to ratify a proposed recompiled version of Alabama’s 1901 Constitution. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
