Morrow seeks County Treasurer Sessions'
ouster from Nov. 4 general election
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
The Democratic nominee for treasurer of Mobile County Friday filed a challenge to the candidacy of his opponent, incumbent Mobile County Treasurer Al Sessions, alleging violations of the Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act.
Milton Morrow lodged the complaint with the office of Attorney General Troy King, according to Mobile County Democratic Party Chairman Brad Warren.
Morrow charged that GOP nominee Sessions missed legal deadlines for filing his annual financial report in both 2005 and 2006. Furthermore, Morrow contends, Sessions filed other campaign financial disclosures in a manner that was “very misleading and almost impossible for the general public to locate and survey contributions and expenditures.”
Morrow requested that Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis revoke Sessions’ certificate of election and strike his name from the ballot in the Nov. 4 general election.
Sessions said he was in compliance with the rules and regulations governing campaign practices, although he acknowledged possible snafus in recent years wherein his filings were out of sync with officials' recording of them.
According to Sessions, in the past he has typically followed up with election officials to ensure that his reports were timely filed, but in recent years may have slacked off on strict verification.
“There are no problems with the treasurer’s office,” said Sessions, adding that he had not seen Morrow’s complaint, but “nothing from him would surprise me.”
“I have always filed reports and they are always in order,” said Sessions. “If they don’t have them on file (supporting timely submission), I’ll look into it and find out why. In the past I have verified that they had been received. After several years of strict verification, we may have stopped that. Everyone should send them by certified mail which I will do in the future.”
Sessions said he supports campaign finance disclosure requirements and he looks forward to hearing from election officials and addressing any issues stemming from Morrow’s complaint.
“I have always been in compliance with election laws,” said Sessions. “No one has ever told me any different. I’ve always met all requirements.”
According to Morrow’s complaint, Sessions’ filings were submitted in behalf of candidate Clarence Albert Sessions Jr. in some instances and by “Friends of Al Sessions” in others.
Davis said he had referred the matter to his legal counsel and declined comment until further review.
Morrow and Warren said they had sought to resolve the matter without involving the attorney general, although their proposed resolution would have required Sessions to resign from office.
The Democrats insist that the facts and law are clear-cut and Sessions is on the wrong side of them.
"There are clear violations of the Fair Campaign Practices Act here," said Warren. "My work towards bipartisianship has fallen on deaf ears, with precious few exceptions."
