State party positions
itself to take over
local Democratic Party
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
The State Democratic Party appears to be laying the groundwork to take over the Mobile County Democratic Executive Committee in a building rift that spiked recently with the local chairman's strenuous objection to the local body's use as a "laundromat" for the state party's political contributions.
In a letter to local Democratic Chairman Brad Warren, state Chairman Joe Turnham advised that local party officials serve "at the pleasure of" the state committee which has given Turnham and the state party's executive director "a blanket authorization to sanction, or place into receivership, county executive committees that do not fully adhere to the bylaws of our State Party, and who are not in compliance of rules or have become functionally inoperable."
"The SDEC has overseen the reformation of several County Democratic Executive Committees in Alabama in the past 48 months, including your committee," Turnham continued. "We can and will assume that role again if we deem it in the best interest of the Party."
MCDEC at its last meeting was unable to resolve a controversy over $8,500 in state contributions toward a "get out the vote" effort in Mobile County in November that "passed through" the local organization on its way to a predominantly black political organization. (See Mobile Bay Times report on March 14)
The MCDEC is set to meet at 6:15 p.m. at the Semmes Public Library Thursday, April 30. Reportedly, the meeting will be closed to non-members. However, according to a local committee member, the State Democratic Executive Committee guidelines hold that the meeting should be "open to all."
Turnham instructed Warren that the donations were legal and appropriately disclosed in financial reports. Furthermore, wrote Turnham, the monies appeared to have been used effectively based on vote totals for Democratic precincts in 2008. Turnham noted that the arrangement was known to Ms. Janetta Whitt-Mitchell, a member of both the local and state party committees as well as a member of a local GOTV subcommittee. The state party has no receipts documenting the use of the funds, Turnham wrote, but was satisfied that "our expenditure of money in some positive way influenced that outcome (a higher turnout in traditionally Democratic wards)."
According to Warren, the
local committee had been
assured that the state party
had receipts for the
expenditures which
represented more than
one-third of the local party's
election budget for 2008.
Warren advised Turnham that the subcommittee was not charged with "funneling money" to the Mobile chapter of the Alabama New South Coalition. Warren responded to Turnham that it was "peculiar" that he applauds the effectiveness of the GOTV monies while criticizing the local party's performance over the past two election cycles.
According to Turnham, the state party's extensive efforts in behalf of Democratic candidates in Mobile County, including Warren who lost a bid for the District 3 seat on the Mobile County Commission, were now being disparaged.
Turnham suggested Warren had "managerial and internal officer" issues that needed handling, a suggestion which included a request for a follow-up phone call that Warren ignored. Warren denied the charge, saying he twice returned Turnham's call and acknowledged the party's efforts in behalf of his political campaign both orally and in writing.
Jim Spearman, executive director of the state Democratic Party, did not return a call seeking comment on Warren's remarks.
According to Warren, the GOTV monies in Mobile County would've been better targeted at independent voters "suffering (from) Bush/Cheney fatigue" rather than African-American voters who were already "extremely motivated" by the historic presidential campaign of Barack Obama.
"... I absolutely want to work through this issue through direct dialogue with you," Warren wrote in his April 24 letter to Turnham.
Turnham's criticism of the Mobile County Democratic Party leadership included:
- Failure to meet with quorums.
- Under strength in total numbers and out of compliance in age and regional representation.
- Failure to win a county-wide election in two election cycles.
- Neglect of the special election in state Senate District 22 and party nominee Marc Keahey.
- "Erroneous legal information" given to local school board candidates that "nearly cost our party a seat."
- Complaints from local Democratic officeholders and party members that the committee doesn't effectively communicate with them.
- The disruption to the party caused by discord within the local executive committee.
Warren found Turnham's accusations galling, pointing out that the local committee sought the state party's opinion on its by-laws, waiting 60 days to no avail before adopting the by-laws.
"We made sure that we were in compliance with state by-laws and have followed them to the letter," Warren stated.
Much of the party's problems locally, said Warren, stem from a violation of the by-laws.
Turnham's threat to take over the local committee comes about "when this issue was originated by you!," Warren exclaimed.
"In case you haven't paid attention," Warren wrote, Mobile County has endured a series of controversies with negative implications for the Democratic Party from the investigation of Bishop State Community College and the ouster of state Rep. Yvonne Kennedy as BSCC president, to the indictment of former Circuit Judge Herman Thomas for abuse of his office, to the NAACP's call for the resignation of the District Attorney John Tyson Jr., the sole remaining non-judicial Democratic officeholder elected county-wide.
According to Warren, local Democratic officials still await a response from Keahey to the party's offer to raise funds and otherwise assist his District 22 Senate bid.
Given the extent of compliance problems statewide and across party lines, for Turnham to single out Mobile County for criticism was "blatantly unfair," according to Warren.
Turnham has asked Warren to supply by Monday a listing of the members of the Mobile County Democratic Executive Committee; records of the local party's last six bank statements; plan of action for the SD 22 special election; and "any and all correspondence to county executive committee members in the last six months."
Warren asked that Turnham more deeply examine the credentials and motivations of critics calling for a state takeover of the party in Mobile County.
"I believe there are a larger number on the committee that understand that our authority was usurped and that we were used in the 2008 elections," Warren concluded.
