Atlanta's mayoral race has made a turn for the worst

I've been sleeping on the Atlanta mayoral race for the last few weeks because 1) it's Atlanta and I'm in Birmingham with so much activity going on that keeps my attention and 2) I've been doing my much need preparation for graduate school.  However, the race on race has turned out in the favor of Mary Norwood, the councilwoman who was the center of the majority of the contraversy because if elected she would the first white mayor of Atlanta in nearly 4 decades as the front-runner in the mayoral race on November 3rd.  Norwood is leading a poll released on Oct. 26 at 46% whereas her closet opponent is only at 26% and that is Kasim Reed.

However, last weekend during a speech before the Hungry Club, some organization like Rotary Club in Atlanta, current mayor Shirley Franklin, spoken of the weakenesses in a negative light. On Sunday, Franklin went into much more detail.    Apparently, in the Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a comment on the Political Insider blog, Franklin freely used Norwood’s name, questioning her competency and lack of experience under the name "Shirley".  Then Monday a spokesperson for the Atlanta mayor's office issued this:

I didn’t say I had any fear of white political leadership in Atlanta or anywhere. The vast majority of candidates I have voted for and supported with my time and money are white and I expect the same will be true into the future. 
I support candidates with vision, integrity and intelligence and I have voted for candidates with these 3 characteristics throughout my life. Mary Norwood has none of these. Therefore, I do not support her candidacy for mayor.
Should she win I will wish her well and continue my activism in politics and civic affairs. Race nor gender are the issues for me. Competency is. Norwood has not demonstrated vision, competence or integrity in her public life as an elected offical. Rather she has spent her time building a political network to run for mayor. It looks like she’ll be successful.

She’s provided no evidence in her service on the Council as to her competence to govern. She has not led on ethics or public policy. In fact she’s known for slips of the tongue about what she’ll do as mayor.
Norwood has run against me as if she’s been a force for good in public debate on the issues for the last 8 years. A few weeks ago on the floor of Council she proposed holding up contracts because the new mayor might not agree with them as if the nine month procurement process had not been open, fair, competitive and comprehensive.
Ultimately she voted for the contracts but after hours of debate because a new political leader might choose other firms. That is the type of decision making I’ve replaced having found subjective rather than objective and fair processes when I arrived at City Hall in 2002. I am astounded Norwood proposed returning to [politically] driven procurement of city services. If you don’t [believe] me check the City Council archives of recent Council meetings.

So Atlanta Mayor Franklin isn't feeling Norwood at all.  She admitted that she has supported mostly white candidates for political office, but doesn't feel Norwood is fit to be mayor.  She also made it known how presumptive Norwood has been for the last few weeks like she knows she will be Atlanta's next mayor.  Franklin does have a point since it is documented and proven...

However, I do feel there is still an element of 'racism' not so much from one side because I've seen first-hand that there a number of whites as well as blacks in power throwing around covert language.  Atlanta is just bubbling with issues because crime is up for sure in the "city too busy to hate", seen practically all major construction projects come to a halt, and now its racial issues coming to the surface in the mayoral race.

Now, it's come to my attention that Norwood is an Independent with former Republican affiliations.  Hmmm, sounds like she is another Michael Bloomberg (see Rod 2.0's blog on that because I don't do NYC politics).  However, her other two opponents Borders and Reed also had some Republican affiliations as well, but not as prominenent as Norwood, who has apparently been registered as one.  But she has received endorsements of key black leaders like SWATS (Southwest Atlanta) former Georgia state legislator Mable Thomas, so it's going to be very interesting how some feel about this.  (I smell trouble in the air, but that's just me).

Then the ads glore with Borders playing to the kitchen table side of politics whereas Kasim Reed playing to the helping the kids angle.  Meanwhile Norwood visits the crime scenes of high-profile murders including that of former heavyweight champion, Vernon Forrest, in SWATS in her latest ad. 

On Tuesday morning, leading Atlanta radio station (and my personal favorite station), V-103 (WVEE), and Atlanta NBC affiliate "11 Alive" WXIA-TV will be airing a live mayoral forum hosted by morning man Frank Ski.  All the candidates including Norwood, Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders, and former Georgia state senator Kasim Reed will all be in attendance.  I will be listening for sure to hear this for myself what's really good. 

I have no dog in this fight, but somebody get a bottle of champaign because Atlanta will likely get a mayor that some black folks may not even want...

Update on the Langford Trial

Well, I was alert of what was going on although I've been under the weather with a sinus infection, but anyways.Yesterday, was a busy day for the prosecution with key witness and former co-defendant taking the stand. 

Wednesday morning was spent on former Jefferson County Finance Director and current Birmingham Finance Director, Steve Sayler, continuing his testimony on the stand about allegations created by federal prosecution that Langford "paid for play".  He says Blount's firm was added to bond work at the request of then Commission President Larry Langford. Sayler testifies Langford and the commission traveled to New York prior to those deals.  The prosecution guided jurors through complicated, often tedious, county bond swaps. The direct line of questioning came with repeated objections from the defense that were often sustained. Sayler has talked about many of those bond deals with banks that employed Blount's firm as a consultant were cut into deals without public knowledge.  During cross-examination, Langford defense attorney, Mike Rasmussen, questioned Sayler on sewer bond rates and what would have happened if Langford had not done anything. Sayler also told the court that fees on the bond deals did not come out of county funds. 

Also Terri Hatcher, Langford's longtime assistant from the days of him being mayor of Fairfield (a suburb of Birmingham) testified before the jury in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday.  She talked about how she had set up at least 4 trips annually to New York for Langford to travel with Blount and LaPierre to take care of business associated with the bond swaps with J.P. Morgan Chase.  Hatcher did discuss on the stand the one travel advance for a three-day New York trip included $900 for lodging, $700 for travel and $160 a day for expenses.  However, she didn't really deliver anything profound other than the number of trips he made while he was commissioner. 

Other witnesses that testified included James Lister, a financial analyst of Lehman Brothers, who testified about his conversations with Blount about Jefferson County's finances. Lister said he talked to Blount because, "he believed Blount had a relationship with Jefferson County." Lister said Blount told him Langford "controlled three votes on the county commission" and suggested Lister should visit Birmingham to see the Jefferson County folks.  Also Robert Taylor of Lehman Brothers testified saying he engineered the interest rate swaps with Jefferson County. Taylor said he came to Birmingham to meet with Langford, but said Langford became frustrated with him because he wouldn't do business with a middle man because of disclosure.  Taylor said he met with Sayler a week later and in October of that year they did a deal, which included $35,000 in payments to Blount.  Paolo Farina from Salvatore Ferragamo clothiers of New York City confirmed receipts for purchases for Langford and former Jefferson County Commissioner Mary Buckelew, including a $2,000 leather jacket and two pair of shoes for Langford. Farina said the purchases were sent to the commissioners at their Jefferson County courthouse office and were paid for by Blount.  The jury was also read the contents of a letter from J.P. Morgan Chase requested by Langford himself to pay Blount's investment firm $2.6 million.


The most pivotal portion of Wednesday was the testimony on the stand of William Blount, the Montgomery investment banker and former co-defendant.  Blount recounts selling bonds and buying a variety of things for Langford.  Blount tesified that they have known one another for 30 years and handled the majority of the bond deal in every public office Langford has held since the day of him being mayor of Fairfield.  He also told the jury about the letters that Langford recieved about the bond swaps that was bypassed fellow commissioners, finance director, and the public.

More to come as the reports of testimony Thursday come...

Former Judge Thomas is apparently bipolar or something...

The opening arguments of the trial of former judge Herman Thomas began Friday (unfortunately, I've been M.I.A., and missed it).  The 48-year-old husband and father faces more than 70 charges, including sex abuse, sodomy, assault, kidnapping and extortion in connection with 14 alleged victims who were criminal defendants or otherwise under his supervision as judge. Boy, was it DETAILED. 

The Mobile Press-Register covered the opening arguments of Mobile County chief assistant district attorney Nicki Patterson:

Thomas would pick men without fathers in their lives and who were in need of help, Patterson said, sometimes checking them out of jail.

Using the judges' secure elevator, he brought the men to an eighth-floor office with a glass panel that had been covered with paper, she said.
Inside, she said, Thomas told the young men to strip down and be paddled, or be sent back to jail. During the spankings, some of the men turned around to see Thomas masturbating or having an "obvious erection in his pants," Patterson said.

Patterson said Thomas also ordered men to masturbate or engage in oral sex with him.

Prosecution also accused Thomas of pulling certain inmates or defendants of that specified demographic from other judges' docket to handle and rule on the case himself.  They also called their first witness Circuit Judge Charles Gaddick, who was asked directly by Assistant District Attorney Martha Tierney if he would ever or had dinner with a defendant and Gaddick replied, "I've never been to dinner with a defendant, period."

According to the Thomas's lawyer, Jeff Deen, Thomas was the founder of the Mobile chapter of the 100 Black Men, and a "pillar of the community".  Deen also countered that the other judges asked Thomas personally to take these cases for a variety of reasons. 

This all went down while his wife was sitting there listening and watching the opening arguments by prosecution. 
 
After reading that about the details of that you can tell dude is a freaky ass clown and just nasty as hell.  Masturbating, paddling oral sex, and allegedly anal sex as well.  WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW!  You can't make this type of stuff up.  I'm going to stay on top of this for sure because this is only going to get more scandalous as it goes.  This along with Birmingham mayor's Larry Langford's trial will make this week VERY INTERESTING. 

Former Mobile County Judge is facing trial for over 80 charges including sodomy and kidnapping

Former Mobile County circuit judge Herman Thomas faces over 80 different charges from a Mobile County grand jury including kidnapping and sodomy. Thomas, 48, was a rising star in Alabama politics with an enviable track record at the polls: a black Democrat who kept getting elected in a county overwhelmingly white and increasingly Republican. He seemed to have it all. Respect as a circuit judge and at one time the Democratic Party's choice to be the first black federal judge in south Alabama. Then his career on the bench collapsed  first under allegations that he was bringing inmates into his office and spanking them with a paddle, then with an indictment that accuses him of having sex with male inmates in exchange for leniency. The trial on charges of sodomy, kidnapping, sex abuse, extortion, assault and ethics violations that involved oral and anal sex, as well as the spankings started this week.

About 15 former and current inmates have told prosecution that they had oral and/or anal sex with the judge for reduced charges. The reports of inmates having to pull down their underwear for spankings with a wooden paddle.  Also Mobile County jail and state prison records checkout reaffirm that the inmates were in the judge's custody or at his office along with the evidence of an inmate's semen in the judge's office carpet.  The inmates also were able to describe in detail Thomas' unmarked windowless office, and other inmates spotted marks after paddlings on the inmates.

Thomas, a judge well known for his distant bow ties, stepped down from the bench in late 2007 after the paddling allegations surfaced.  Chief Assistant District Attorney Nicki Patterson said authorities began looking at Thomas after he changed a jail sentence in 2006 for his cousin, former Mobile County school commissioner David Thomas, even though the case was being handled by another judge. Other cases that Thomas had taken over from other judges without their approval soon surfaced, she said.

The Alabama Bar Association began to investigate him on the grounds of judicial ethics, and later suspended his license.  Friends of Thomas including his attorney have refuted the allegations about sexual liaisons between Thomas and male plaintiffs for reduced sentences.

''A big bunch of bullsh*t that ain't going nowhere... Isn't it amazing to you they're all saying the same thing, Isn't it amazing? You know, these are uneducated people using words like 'confidential information' and so on.''
Robert "Cowboy Bob" Clark, defense attorney for Alabama Judge Herman Thomas

 Whereas others were more dumbfound and shocked by the charges:

''Everyone thought he had a lot of concern for people who got into criminal difficulty. All of this was a surprise to everyone.''
Braxton Kittrell, a retired Mobile County Circuit Judge, who remains dumbfounded along with most people who knew Judge Herman Thomas

The Mobile chapter of the NAACP has defended Thomas and claims race is behind his prosecution.  Many including his attorney calls it a "a high-tech lynching" by some in power in Mobile.

"They don't like uppity black folks, and that's what they consider Herman." Robert "Cowboy Bob" Clark, defense attorney for Alabama Judge Herman Thomas

However, all the inmates making the claims are black. 

Thomas grew up in Mobile and returned home after law school at Florida State University to become an assistant district attorney.  At the time, the majority white county had no black judges, and local officials were concerned that a federal judge might end countywide elections for judges. Local Democrats and lawyers recruited Thomas because he had a reputation as a young, bright lawyer and was widely respected for his civic activities.  They got a Republican governor to appoint him to a vacancy in 1990 and he later won election to a full term.  In 1997, Alabama's presidential advisory committee recommended President Bill Clinton appoint Thomas as the first black federal judge in the southern district of Alabama. The nomination was never acted on after Thomas failed to get the American Bar Association's top rating and amid some squabbling within the party.

Thomas still enjoys support in Mobile. He and his wife Linda are frequently seen in public, and he continues to keep a high profile, including maintaining leadership roles in several civic organizations.
Edington said Thomas was particularly proud when he got to see his teenage twin daughters march in President Barack Obama's inaugural parade as members of Mobile's Azalea Trail Maids.

WOW, WOW, WOW!  Now, this is some crazy sh*t!  He is just as freaky as hell, and he had the audacity to still parade around town with his wife and daughters like it's alright.  SMDH

Well, It looks like there will be 3 incumbents are safe with 5 run-offs on their way

Well, its safe to say Valerie Abbott, Maxine Parker, and Steven Hoyt are here to stay.  I don't really have much of an opinion about these three because Hoyt and Parker are screwface worthy because of their past involvement in blocking the anti-discrimination ordinance back in 2007.  Whereas Valerie Abbott wasted everybody time back in 2007 trying to run for mayor when she knew good and well she didn't stand a chance in hell of getting elected which IMHO costed Patrick Cooper, who I rathered seen elected as mayor (even over Smitherman), to lose a number of votes against Larry Langford.  She is OK, but she still gets the screwface and side-eye regardless.

Now on to the run-offs, well Shelia Tyson has gave Carole Smitherman, current City Council President and Mayor Pro-Tem, a run for her money in the District 6 race.  Shelia Tyson is Patrick Cooper's former mayoral campaign manager, and City Neighborhood Association (CNA) president along with Neighborhood President of West End.  Interesting to say the least because Smitherman want to get back in so she can take the helm of mayor (when not if) Larry Langford is forced out of office for his federal conviction.  If she doesn't get reelected then it is likely Valarie Abbott will become Council President and mayor down the line (for the 45 days until a special election is held).  I'm like this is going to be INTERESTING because Smitherman seems to have a problem these days because she is a nice person (I've met her), but she doesn't really have much of what I call "leadership traits".  She better come to realization that this could be the end of her time on the City Council because it was 43% (Smitherman) to 39% (Tyson), and that's mighty close. 

The rest well, it is a given that Roderick Royal's whiny butt will get back in District 9, Carol Reynolds Duncan will likely lose to Kim Raffety in District 2, Johnathan Austin will have to battle former councilman Elias Hendricks in District 5, and Jay Robertson will battle his runner up in the election of District 7 replacing the late Miriam Witherspoon.

LaShunda Scales was the only outright newcomer to win her election in District 1 against incumbent Joel Montgomery.  I guess his alcoholic fall from grace in 2007 costed him his seat along with being in the pocket of Mayor Langford on the city bingo ordinance.  The people have spoken and apparently nobody is stutting the New Jefferson County Citizens Coalition or Mayor Langford's endorsements.  LOL

Maxine Waters delivers the Truth and thensome

Gotta love her and her realness!  She's telling like it is, too bad District 7 doesn't have somebody that isn't afraid of telling like it is these days because he wants to become governor.

Christian Coalition Gubernatorial Forum was last night

Aww, how precious?  The Christian Coaltion of Alabama held their gubernatorial forum last night where everybody who has decided to run with the expections of current state Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks and current state Treasurer Kay Ivey did attend.  However, it looks like Congressman Davis took the show by claiming he would be against health care reform without a public option (surprise, surprise!) which sounded like all his fellow gubernatorial candidate attendees.  Alabama is a right-leaning state that doesn't make any qualms about where it stands during most presidential or Congressional elections. 

However, Davis did say he would be for a full rewrite of the Alabama State Constitution which has racism and segregation laws still there.  Meanwhile, Roy Moore 'n dem made it be know a big ole' "HELL NO" to the rewrite.  I remember Roy Moore being the reason why the 2004 constitutional amendment to remove the racist language to fail because he claim the "right to education" would mean more taxes...  You know some idiots bought that like hotcakes and sopped it up like syrup. 

Anyways, another colorful day in this state leading to one of the most interesting gubernatorial campaigns in a while.

Ron Sparks makes a political gamble on legalized gambling

Alabama Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Ron Sparks, has made a public announcement that he will support legalized gambling via casinos and state lottery. He delivered with the slogan "Casino = No New Taxes", along with proposal to place a casino in downtown Birmingham for the whole world to see.

"A lot of folks go to Mississippi casinos. I want them to stop in Birmingham," Sparks said.

He said he wanted to see a casino "right down the road" from the proposed site for a domed stadium.

Sparks said he would fight to bring casinos and businesses associated with them to Birmingham.

He said he also wants the state to have a lottery to help fund education.

Interesting if you ask me that is nice, but according to the word on the street, that you sound like more of a "Republican" than a Democrat. You also sound like somebody that doesn't have all the cards in together aside from the race card to advocate why you should be the Democratic nominee. So come a little bit stronger than "Mr. Safe Choice" than the joke with no real platform aside from "I want to put a casino in Birmingham...".

Special thanks to Birmingham Blues and Left in Alabama for the information about the Gubernatorial Forum information.

Also here's the video of this twisted irony about electability: