A subcommittee of the Alabama Democratic Party's State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) will meet Friday February 5th at 9:30 am to review a "Motion to Disqualify" Charley Grimsley's candidacy for State Treasurer. The challenge was entered by a member of the SDEC and cites Grimsley's "significant, long standing support of numerous federal and Alabama Republican candidates and Republican interest groups..."
That last part won't surprise you if you recall a previous LIA diary about Charley Grimsley. He's an unusual political animal who previously served as chief of staff to former Republican Lt. Governor Steve Windom and was also a prominent Roy Moore suporter.
As we noted then:
What do you get when you cross a donkey with an elephant in Alabama?
It appears that you get a well-connected pol like Democratic candidate for Treasurer, Charley Grimsley, a guy adept at playing both sides of the political game. He's boasted about his friendship with Lt. Governor Folsom while donating $5,000 to Roy Moore in 2006. He contributed $2,000 to George W. Bush in 2004 (the day before the election) and $2,300 to Barack Obama last October.
Grimsley was also quite generous to at least one Republican 527 organization, the "PFA Voter Fund," which described itself as:
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More information and selected text from the challenge document is on the flip. Along with a short video of Charley Grimsley really "helping out" Steve Windom on the floor of the Alabama Senate.
Grimsley's significant, long standing support of numerous federal and Alabama Republican candidates and Republican special interest groups grossly violates the strict standards for candidate qualification contained in Article VII, Section 1 (b) of the Alabama State Democratic Bylaws, which states: "No person shall be permitted to qualify as a candidate for nomination of election to public or Party office as a Democrat in any elections who did not support the nominees of the Democratic Party in all Special or General Eelctions during the past four years (hereinafter, "the Radney Rule").
The petition cites many incidents where Grimsley supported Republican candidates and interest groups with money. During the past 10 years, Grimsley has donated at least $25,000 to Republican candidates- more than twice as much as he donated to Democratic candidates during the same period.
During the past 4 years - the period covered by a strict interpretation of the Radney Rule - he donated to Republican candiate for Secretary of State, Beth Chapman in August 2006 when Nancy Worley, the Democratic incumbent, was the Democratic nominee.
Tonight, I say we should support the President of the United States and the U.S. Military and tell the liberal, tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippy, tie-dyed liberals to go make their movies and music and whine somewhere else.
[...]
America has remained silent too long! God-fearing people have remained silent too long!
We must lift our voices united in a humble prayer to God for guidance and the strength and courage to sustain us throughout whatever the future may hold.
After the tragic events of Sept. 11th, my then eleven -year-old son said terrorism is a war against them and us and if you're not one of us, then you're one of them.
Does that mean Grimsley's "one of us" or "one of them?"
Now, this speech was given in March 2003, well before Grimsley's donation of $500 to her campaign in August, 2006.
Grimsley's tenure as Lt. Governor Windom's chief of staff and his conduct then receives special attention in the disqualification petition:
From 1999-2003, Grimsley served as Republican Lieutenant Governor Steve Windom's Chief of Staff. In this capacity, Grimsley sat at the right hand of a Republican who was openly antagonistic to the Democratic Party and its agenda. As Lieutenant Governor, Steve Windom brought national embarrassment to Alabama when he admitted to urinating while on the floor of the Alabama Senate rather than turn the chair over to Democratic leaders. (Exhibit O). During this embarrassing incident, Grimsley literally sat a Windom's side.
He didn't just "sit" there!
Pay close attention to the man on the left (as you view the video). At the end of the clip, you can see him leaning over and holding, moving the jug (at least I HOPE that's all he's doing) - then laughing uproariously with Lt. Governor Windom.
The first few minutes are pretty, but then the action pours out picks up quite a bit at the end....
Talk about "above and beyond the call of duty!"
The "joke" the two men shared because a story recounted in the New York Times and other national news outlets. Grimsley helped add yet another layer of tarnish to Alabama's national image:
Mr. Siegelman called a special session of the Legislature to solve the dispute, but tension ran so high that Mr. Windom refused to leave the chamber even for a bathroom break during the round-the-clock session, lest Democrats find a way to replace him. To illustrate his plight, Mr. Windom announced on Sunday that he felt obliged to urinate in a jug behind the podium during the negotiations, and the remark was picked up by headline writers, radio talk shows and national television programs, making the situation appear ridiculous.
Grimsley supported Roy Moore in several ways. A $5,000 contribution to his candidacy for governor in th 2006 election cycle was significant, but Grimsley also purchased the domain name for Roy Moore's campaign Web site. Not to have a little fun - which would have been my first thought - but to "prevent any efforts that would negatively impact Mr. Moore's campaign."
So here we have someone who wants to run on the Democratic ticket as State Treasurer, but why?
He's given over $25,000 to Republicans and far-right GOP interest groups like the "PFA Voter Fund."
He's given to Republicans in general election campaigns where they had Democratic opponents.
He's not only given thousands to Roy Moore, but he purchased a domain name and then gave it to the Moore campaign to use.
Kudos to the SDEC member who is willing to challenge this candidacy. I certainly don't think all Democrats have to march in lockstep. Healthy debate and civil discussion is helpful to the party and necessary if you want to get anything done in government.
But Grimsley's contributions paint a picture of a man much more in step with the far-right, theocrat wing of the Republican party - Roy Moore and Beth Chapman, for example - and with organizations like the PFA Voter Fund, which was established "to support George W. Bush's view of America."
Personally, I don't want any Alabama Democratic party candidate or elected official who views the world through George W. Bush-colored glasses.And particulary not for Treasurer, given Bush's total fiscal irresponsibility.
Surely, the SDEC subcommittee reviewing this challenge feels the same way. We'll know on Friday!
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