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The state Republican Party has become quite abuzz with the relatively late realization that AEA is apparently putting a lot of resources into GOP primary races in an attempt to unseat two State Board of Education members. Skip Smithwick is challenging Republican incumbent Stephanie Bell in SBOE District 3, and Paul Christopher is challenging Republican incumbent Randy McKinney in SBOE District 1.
The GOP and the incumbents were caught flat-footed, I think it is fair to say. For example, state GOP Chair Mike Hubbard told the Parlor that Smithwick was dropping a couple hundred thousand dollars in a school board race complete with TV ad buys, while Bell had $300 on hand. As I write this, the pages on the Secretary of State website with campaign finance reports are not working, but AP wrote yesterday:
Campaign finance reports filed this week show Smithwick with $238,400 in cash contributions to Bell’s $6,120, and Christopher out front with $158,175 to McKinney’s $22,460.
When the SoS site is working, you can see fairly transparently in the campaign finance reports the money going from AEA’s PAC (AVOTE) to Smithwick and Christopher with only a PAC-stop or two in between. (The Birmingham News has an article that points out the short money trail between AEA and Smithwick.) According to the Birmingham News this week, “Smithwick said he is not being funded, directly or indirectly, by AEA,” which frankly is hardly credible on his part.
In a statement released Friday, Hubbard said,
Traditionally the Party does not get involved in our primaries, but this is a unique situation where the Democratic Party and the AEA are fully funding candidates to run as Republicans and we believe we have a responsibility to alert all Republicans to this situation prior to Tuesday’s primary election. Our Steering Committee met, and unanimously voted to work against Paul Hubbert’s ulterior motives for the good of our Party. We encourage all Republican voters to not allow the Democrats to hijack our primary, specifically in the election for the State Board of Education, which, based on the levels of corruption that have been exposed, is the last place Democrats need to be in control.
The GOP has “fought back pretty hard,” putting money into the races, Hubbard told the Parlor. “We don’t know if it’s too little too late, especially with Stephanie Bell” in District 3.
AEA and its chief Paul Hubbert have fought efforts to institute a ban on education system employees serving in the legislature, a policy that has been promoted by Gov. Riley, 2 year college chancellor Bradley Byrne, and some members of the school board including Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney. AEA’s support for primary opponents to Bell and McKinney is viewed by Hubbard as another front in that battle. “They fought it in the courts. They fought it legislatively, and now on the School Board,” Hubbard told the Parlor.
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Danny, Smithwick has been up on TV for about three weeks at least. We were watching tv a few Sundays ago at my mothers in Cullman and he was on all the Birmingham stations.
I think “Double-Dip Skip” is despicable. However, it will be difficult for Mike Hubbard to have the moral authority to criticize anyone right now, given his own profiting from the GOP PSC race of Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh. He may be making money off of Jay Love too – he has certainly shamelessly supported Love’s candidacy in a contested GOP primary.
He ought to be ashamed.
Hubbard – like the double-dippers in the legislature – is using his public position for private profit.
I feel certain there will be efforts to oust Hubbard in June at the state executive committee meeting over his outrageous behavior. And there should be.
At least 92% of Smithwick’s funds came from the AEA. He told a bald face lie that he wasn’t accepting money from the AEA, the line from the AEA to Smithwick is pretty clear. He has bought and paid for by Paul Hubbert and will be a vote against accountability on the SBOE.
Memo to Hubbard – the “Party” (you) has certainly been involved in the primary in supporting Jay Love and Twinkle against other Republicans.
You have destroyed any credibility you had on this issue. Resign.
Anonymous # 2, apparently you don’t understand that being state party chairman isn’t a public position and involves no state dollars. We don’t pay our chairmen so they get to keep running their businesses.
I suspect that the vast majority of the ALGOP executive committee is happy with the work that Mike has done–after all he has done far more over the years to build the party than Matt Chancey or any of the other Roy Moore-ites. All they do is whine a complain.
Sorry, Susan. It’s a huge conflict and just about everyone can see it. This spells trouble for Hubbard.
Remember, the party chair – supposedly – has to stay neutral during primaries; Hubbard himself alluded to that. But he hasn’t.
He has done business (and a LOT of it) with one candidate (Twinkle) in a contested primary. That’s a conflict. Only one person I have talked to (out of 8) has argued that it wasn’t.
Additionally, he arranged for Jay Love – a candiadte in a contested GOP primary race – to have his (Hubbard’s) seat at the “State of the State” address – directly behind the Governor and on the TV broadcast – for political advantage in the race. And there are many other examples of Hubbard assisting Love in that race. Other candidates – multiple other candidates – have complained of Hubbard assisting Love.
That – also – is a conflict.
He has violated the rules of his office. He should resign or face ouster.
Just as one further point: Hubbard – by doing business with Twinkle – has a personal financial stake in her winning the GOP primary. If she wins, he can expect to make more money in the fall camapign.
Obviuously, his business has a huge interest in ONE candidate over the others winning in a GOP primary.
That is simply unacceptable. His judgment in doing business with candidates in a GOP primary is awful.
Could anyone provide a link or citation to documents showing that Mike Hubbard is receiving income from candidates in the primary?
How bad will it look for Hubbard if he lets Hubbert beat him in his own SBOE primary?
Why does Hubbard not dip into some of that 10 million is has raised and give it to Bell & McKinney?
That nut, Jack Campbell, tried to raise issues about Hubbard’s business before he was elected chairman of the party. The AP even wrote a story about his crazy rantings. He was unsuccessful at making it an issue then and Anonymous. . .uh, I mean Jack Campbell. . .will be unsuccessful this time. The ALGOP would be a lot better off if Republicans like Campbell would just shut up and lock themselves in a closet somewhere.
Hope the same policy is in effect for the Legislative races in 2010. A few of the AEA plants need to be called out.
Owing allegiance to no political party, may I say that if Mike Hubbard is taking sides in his own party’s primary (and I believe he is) that’s despicable and breaking Reagan’s 11th Commandment in a way?
At this point in time, though, I consider that issue secondary to the obvious attempt of Paul Hubbert to gain control over the state school board and I hope that even those who normally vote for Democrats will see how dangerous that is for us and vote FOR Bell and McKinney in the Republican primary and AGAINST Hubbert’s latest power play. It’s past time for those who want better government in Alabama to put aside partisanship and vote for open, honest, and transparent government, and stand up to Paul Hubbert.
Mike Hubbard is one of many members of the “Governor’s Circle” who is contributing $40,000 to the State GOP in addition to being unpaid for time and work. Forty Thousand Dollars is going TO the Party – not like the tens of thousands that went missing from the Party a few years ago under another’s reign. For those who want to criticize Mr. Hubbard, one would hope that you too have stepped up with your own money.
I just received a secret message from Baby Luther. Don’ repeat this, but it tells about Stan Pate and his big money in the State Treasurer’s race. Remember, this is a secret!
The Baby Luther email address is a fake. This appears to be one in a series of rants from the Matt Chancey campaign. He hasn’t sent a single email teliing me why he is the best candidate for the PSC, but daily I receive screeds smearing others.
As for Mike Hubbard, he has done more to build the party than any chairman we have had since I’ve been a member–and we have had some good ones.
Here’s the thing that gets me. For Ms Bell to get blindsided this bad with only three hundred dollars in her account is inexcuseable in my opinion. Did her and McKinney not realize what Hubbert was going to do? How naive could you possibly be? Its no wonder the GOP is no where close to a majority in the legislature. As far as Hubbert goes I disagree with him on most issues but I dont blame him for pulling a sneaky trick like this. Its politics after all. Pretty much everything but bodily harm goes in this business.
Oh and Susan lets be honest here. We can talk about the money that Hubbard has raised for ‘10 and Roy Moore(which I agree with you on)but the only thing that matters in the end is RESULTS. So far this year Hubbard has LOST a House seat in Cullman that he had in the palm of his hand and now he pops up a few days before the primary crying to Danny and begging republicans not to vote for Hubberts plants. So lets not get carried away with the Mike Hubbard worshipping.
I’m glad Susan Fillippeli (in comment 15)mentioned the Matt Chancey campaign because it caused me to find his campaign website @ http://www.mattchancey.com/home.html and read everything in it. Apparently his campaign isn’t well-funded and the website might be better if it were. But I like what I read, which pretty much should answer Susan’s question at a time when Chancey is involved in an underfunded campaign and doesn’t have time to respond to emails from individuals who question his qualifications.
Dan T, FWIW, I don’t think I would characterize Hubbard as “crying to Danny” on this issue. We were talking about another matter, this issue came up, and he was very matter-of-fact and candid about it. I appreciate your good observations and comments (not just in that comment but generally), but that particular characterization felt a bit off.
This is incredible. Word is that Mike Hubbard has put $50 thousand in each Republican SBOE race for his handpicked candidates, McKinney and Bell. This is insane. You’re telling the world that you qualified Christopher and Smithwick as Republicans then put party money against them in the Republican primary. How stupid is this. I know one thing. If I were either Christopher or Smithwick and lost, after Hubbard put money against me in my own party’s primary, I would sue the hell out of the Mike Hubbard’s GOP.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing, there seems to be alot of that these days. Just remember, a wolf is still a wolf and a wolf’s money may get you bit.
Isn’t this the same AEA that borrowed 2 million to fund campaigns?
The moral is, never trust a wolf in sheeps clothing.
Tuesday 4/29/2008 DAILY NEWS DIGEST
http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/29/tuesday-4292008-daily-news-digest/
Go back and read the very first Comment!
-Pookie
It has already been mentioned, but here is how it works. GOPer Hubbard raises money for his party. Millions he says. Then he takes that money and runs GOP races with the profits pouring back to his printing and PR operations in Auburn. Apparently, he is fleecing the GOP for Twinkle’s and Love’s GOP primary race. Now Hubbard takes Christopher’s and Smithwick’s qualifying money and spends it on handpicked candidates McKinney and Bell. Hubbard used his legislative position to literally get rich from no-bid Auburn contracts, and now he is using his position as GOP head to enrich himself via GOP money. Hubbard doesn’t see anything wrong with this. To make matters worse, this Hubbard guy is doing the same thing that the Democrats did in 1983. He’s handpicking Republican candidates in Republican primaries.
Don, Google Matt Chancey or Mathew Chancey. There is some wierd stuff out there.
John–You don’t know what you are talking about. The ALGOP is responding to the Vice Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party meddeling in the Republican primary to unseat incumbents who are hostile to his interests. Skip Smithwick, for example, has received 92% of his funding from the AEA. This is the group that wants to continue to use the two-year college system to launder cash and buy legislators. Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney have been fighting the corruption at every turn.
I can tell you are a Hubbert lackey because you raise the same tired smears that Hubbert tried to use when he ran a primary opponent agaisnt Mike. The voters saw it for the trash it was and Hubbert wasted almost a half a million dollars.
So explain to me why Smithwick and Christopher are lying about their support from the AEA?
They can recoup hubberts qualifying fee from the 300 or so thousand aea put up for them to run -
I’m an Auburn fan. I just want a hundred or so of the 3500 free tickets Mike Hubbard gets free. Opps Susan, I guess it’s not true that Mike Hubbard got a no-bid contract on the cheap at Auburn that he sold for millions profit, and as President of Auburn (ISP) he still get bennies worth more than a million a year. Like Hubbard, I guess you think that’s ok. Mike Hubbard is the biggest double dipper in America. But, I guess that is ok with you.
Senior:
I am new to this wonderful land and am trying to understand your government.
I am asking why Stan Pate has put so much money in this race?
Is he just concerned with good government?
He sued Governor Riley and supports Governor Riley’s Chief of Staff?
Is this the secret way that this country works, kind of like Mexico?
She’s not gov riley’s chief of staff, but why bother with truth at this point
When Mike Hubbard became chairman of the Alabama Republican party it was in debt thanks to Ms. Andress Cavanaugh’s mis-management. No one knows how much but easily over $100,000 Mike has done a great job as chairman. The party is now raising and saving money. Politics ain’t bean bag if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the fire!
John – you are a fool. Are you Paul Hubbert or maybe Joe Turnham? You know not what you speak and yet you do it with great authority. You are either (A) a liberal Democrat who worships at Paul Hubbert’s feet or (B) One of those Jack Campbell or Randy Brinson type GOPers who are paid by Hubbert and McGregor to do their dirty work – the same types who only know how to come onto blogs like this and whine.
Either way, go back to the rock (or closet) you crawled out from under.
Danny, someone above wanted a link to where it could be shown that Mike Hubbard was making money off of the GOP primary.
I am happy to oblige.
Hit the link below to TWINLE ANDRESS CAVANAUGH’S expenditures page. The $70,000+ that she spent with “Network Creative Sevices” of Auburn – whose President is none other than GOP Chair MIKE HIBBARD – is prominently displayed on this report. Enjoy!
http://arc-sos.state.al.us/PEL/SOSELPDF.001/E0065192.PDF
Yawn…
This comment was removed because it contained ad hominem insults of an unacceptably crude nature.
Let’s express our differences in a civil manner.
This comment was removed because it didn’t make much sense after the previous comment was removed.
We’ve been at the girls softball tournament all day and just checked email. Holy smokes! I’ve got lots of email about Paul Hubbert funding candidates in the State Board of Education race. Then accusations that Mike Hubbard is helping certain primary candidates and finally lots of chatter that Twinkle Cavanuagh is being bankrolled by Stan Pate. What’s the truth? I guess with an election of Tuesday everyone is trying to gather every vote.
I’ve been on the receiving end of a lot of these watch-out-for-fake-Republicans e-mails, too.
From Brett Blackledge’s story this morning:
“Paul Hubbert, the AEA leader who is the state Democratic Party’s vice chairman, said earlier this week that AEA had not directly contributed to the Republican candidates’ campaigns. But he declined to discuss specifics about indirect support for the candidates through PACs.”
That sounds like the script for a bunch of Election Eve phone calls, courtesy of Randy McKinney and Stephanie Bell.
I love that Paul Hubbert is now reduced to having to run candidates in the Republican Primary! So much for that party he’s ViceChairman of.
I guess the rapidly aging Democratic Party is finally out of Folsoms and Baxleys, and nobody in their right mind under 40 would want to hitch their cart to a few hundred septuagenarians… unless they just can’t compete against the quality of candidate now found in Republican Primaries.
Thank God the actuarial tables suggest I’ll live to see the Dem Senate, plus Hubbert, sitting in the same Nursing Homes they’ve denigrated all these years.
[...] Unusual Interest in SBOE Races [...]
John–again, you are wrong. Mike Hubbard gets NO free tickets. ISP sports gets those tickets which they provide to the folks paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to advertise on Auburn football games. Nor wis Mike a double dipper. he receives NO income from Auburn University or the State of Alabama. ISP sports, however generates millions of dollars for Auburn each year. Stop spouting Paul Hubbert’s lies. I’d much rather have Hike Hubbard as party chairman than, say a chairman whose family business has been implicated in laundering money for the two year college system (that would be the Turnham family business for those of you keeping score).
Susan, Hubbard may not get 3500 free tickets, but like the other 139 legislators he is sent 2 free tickets to the Iron Bowl every year. Surely you remember the flap when Alvin Holmes said he didn’t receive his last year.
FROM http://www.wkrg.com/news/article/legislator_didnt_get_football_tickets/
“Auburn University says it sent two free Iron Bowl tickets to every Alabama legislator.”
Susan:
I know you carry alot of weight in the Republican Party.
I love your great country. It is the place of great dreams and much dollars.
I say War Eagle to you at great university!!
The hubbard “ticket” story is a pretty pathetic one. Joe turnham’s been shopping that around for months to reporters, and the outcome? Well, guess they landed columns in 2 reputable media outlets: the aea journal and montgomery independent. Well, 3 if you count the aladems website…good job joe!
Danny? unacceptably crude nature? Really?
How much do you really know about Alabama Politics?
I know enough to know that most participants know how to express passionate disagreement in a manner appropriate to the setting.
:)
News shocker…AEA funding candidates for State School Board. What’s next? Alagasco and Alabama Power funding a PSC race. Or, how about BCA funding legislative races (they write tax code and give incentives to businesses to locate here). Next thing you’ll tell me is that trial lawyers will begin funding candidates for the bench! Who’d a thunk it?
I think one issue is that they are funding Republicans. A liberal group funding a conservative? The horror of it all.
Much has also been written on the “reform-minded Byrne” vs. “AEA-promoting double-dippers.” True, legislators on the take should be prosecuted and convicted. However, removing the ability for educators to be lawmakers is ridiculous. I ask this, is it okay to be a lawmaker and a business man that profits from legislative decisions just because the money doesn’t flow directly from state coffers? How many lawmakers are tied to business that receive tax breaks?
Susan I remember you from when I was in AU, You were a great Lady then and still are.
Hubbard is well liked in Baldwin County and across the state. He has done wonders for solidifying the party. I wonder if John has a comment on wether or not Senator Little recieves any perks in the way of football tickets?
By the way danny great point in today’s publication (6-2-08) regarding Little’s little vote of cloture.
[...] The candidates propped up by the AEA in an attempt to take control of the board got slaughtered. District 1 incumbent Randy McKinney dispatched Paul Christopher 73% to 27% and in District 3 Stephanie Bell trounced Troy Smithwick 68% to 32%. Alabama educators: I hope you’re happy with the way Czar Hubbert spent your confiscated dues on losing candidates so he could preserve cushy jobs for legislators. [...]