Birmingham Blues

In a news release today, the Victory Fund stated its intention to stand behind Patricia Todd and support her as she fights to uphold her win in House District 54.  It sounds like the folks there don’t have much faith that the Alabama Democratic Party will do the right thing.

“Democracy means nothing if backroom deals can change the outcome of a fair election.  The people have spoken, but party power brokers are insisting on having the last word.  That’s un-American,” said Chuck Wolfe, President and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

“The Alabama Democratic Party shows little inclination to conduct a fair hearing based on the merits of the challenge, and we have lost faith in that process.  It’s unthinkable that in 2006 some politically powerful insiders still consider themselves untethered to democratic principles and superior to the electorate.  If the party has no intention of protecting the rights of voters, then we intend to ask the courts to step in to do so,” Wolfe said.

The Victory Fund announced it has established a legal defense fund to preserve Todd’s win.  “We are prepared to vigorously defend the will of the voters and this historic victory,” Wolfe said.

Regardless of the outcome of Thursday’s hearing, it’s expected that the result will be appealed to the State Democratic Executive Committee, which meets on Saturday in Montgomery (I’m still trying to find out time and place).  From there, any appeals would be settled in court.

To donate to the Victory Fund, click here.  To contact state Democratic Party chair Joe Turnham, click here.

And I agree; it is time to finish this.

UPDATE:  Let the state Democratic Party know what you think.  Email Joe Turnham, party chair, or call party headquarters (334) 262-2221. 

The contest hearing for District 54 has been rescheduled for Thursday at 2:00 pm.  Despite the fact that all the citizens affected live in Birmingham, the hearing will be in Montgomery (same place as before).  I’m wondering if the later time means the party is hoping for lower turnout — or maybe that’s just too cynical.  I’m also wondering how many committee members are beholden to Joe Reed.

The Birmingham News endorsed Gaynell Hendricks in the District 54 race, but it seems at least one editorial writer there is fed up with the sore loser attitude and power games of Hendricks and her backers.  Tom Scarritt compares this contest to the debacle in the 1986 Democratic primary for governor, when Charlie Graddick received more votes, but party leaders found a loophole to hand the nomination to Bill Baxley.  Then we ended up with Guy Hunt for governor; this time we could end up with severe rifts in a diverse district that needs to pull together.

Patricia Todd defeated Gaynell Hendricks in the July 18 primary runoff election by 59 votes. The people have spoken. There is no reason to believe the outcome is anything but an honest expression of the preference of voters who went to the polls. It is time to move on.

However, Hendricks and her supporters are contesting the election, trying to find some technical loophole that might allow them to win before a party committee the victory they were unable to win in the field.

Hendricks says she is paying for the contest. However, Reed did deliver a check to the Democratic Party to pay for the contest if Hendricks’ check did not arrive on time, Jerome Gray, field director for the ADC, told a News reporter. The hearing on Hendricks’ challenge was delayed when members of the panel failed to show up.

Close elections court contests. Candidates who believe that elections were not carried out according to the rules have a right to have the vote reviewed. The intervention of a party heavyweight, though, appears once again to pit the party hierarchy against the voters….

…Reed’s position, he wrote, “involves the art of politics and, foremost, our group interests. We should always determine that - and not let others highjack or undermine our agenda.”

This newspaper endorsed Hendricks because of her record of civic involvement and her position on such issues as transit and access to health care. The voters chose Todd, a white candidate who also is well-qualified. The party should not highjack or undermine that choice.

It’s a bit hard to tell from this article.

Alabama Democratic officials today said they expected Gaynell Hendricks’ challenge to the House District 54 election result eventually to be brought before the party’s executive committee.

A hearing to decide the contested election between Hendricks and her opponent, Patricia Todd, was postponed Tuesday after members of the presiding committee decided not to attend. The party is hoping to hold a new hearing Thursday.

There’s no mention of Patricia’s call to dismiss the contest. There’s also no mention of a time or location for the hearing. I’m told that Jefferson County party leaders are pushing to hold it in Birmingham, which makes a lot more sense than having everyone involved drive to Montgomery again.

Whatever the committee’s decision, the result probably will be appealed to the executive committee during its Aug. 26 meeting, said Jim Spearman, the party’s executive director.

Is there any chance the party will get its act together and do the right thing?