Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom is starting some movement on a plank from his 2006 campaign: a Mobile to Florence highway through west Alabama. A joint legislative commission is to report recommendations to the 2009 legislative session. Not only is this touted as a boon to economic development - especially in the Black Belt counties it would traverse, but Folsom would no doubt like to undergird that rumored run for the governorship in 2010.
Here’s another event where Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh was the sole Republican PSC presidential candidate invited though all GOP candidates (or, in this case, both) for another position were invited. How does she do that?
A trio of Republicans running in next month’s primary election brought their campaigns to Huntsville.
Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, a candidate for Public Service Commission president, and Mary Windom and Chris Mixon, rivals for the Place 2 position on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, were guests at a luncheon Tuesday hosted by the Huntsville Republican Women.
A reader close to a rival campaign tells the Parlor that GOP PSC presidential candidates Matt Chancey and Jack Hornady were not aware of the event. Looks like Cavanaugh is starting out as the presumptive nominee or her campaign is doing a terrific job of creating that impression.
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An AEA poll on the race for the Public Service Commission Presidency is floating around that shows Democrat Lucy Baxley with a 53%-29% advantage over Republican Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh. I find it hard to figure that this is anything other than a name ID poll, and so it’s no surprise that a former Lt. Governor would have a large lead over Cavanaugh who has had the lower profile roles of former state GOP chair and gubernatorial adviser.
In polling just the GOP candidates of Cavanaugh, Jack Hornady, and Matt Chancey, 70% of respondents had no expressed preference. The three were close with two barely cracking double digits.
Baxley is the only Democratic candidate for the position.
A reader points out that Don Fisher, an organizer of the previously mentioned Montgomery County GOP event that featured GOP candidates for the Court of Criminal Appeals along with Cavanaugh but no other candidates for PSC President, is also a donor to Cavanaugh’s campaign (pdf).
The Montgomery Co. GOP side of the story heard here is that Cavanaugh was invited to be a featured speaker to the event when she was the only candidate who had qualified for that race, and that later the decision was made to invite the judicial candidates. Other candidates for PSC President were not invited as it was never designed to be a forum for that race.
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Republican Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh is having a Fundraising Reception this evening at the home of Dax Swatek for her candidacy for the Public Service Commission Presidency. If you are interested in seeing who signed on as the Host Committee, here’s the list.
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The House Judiciary Committee today has sent letters (available here in a .pdf file) to the DoJ Inspector General and to the DoJ Office of Professional Responsibility “to request that your offices conduct a thorough investigation and report on the troubling allegations of selective, politically-motivated prosecution in recent years by the Department of Justice.” The letters accompanied a 34-page report (available here in a .pdf file) issued today by the House Judiciary Committee’s majority staff entitled, “Allegations of Selective Prosecution in Our Federal Criminal Justice System.”
A point to be made here is that the Committee is not calling for an investigation into the specifics of Don Siegelman’s case, but into the issue of “selective, politically-motivated prosecution.”
Committee Chair John Conyers is unhappy that the Committee is not getting access to information it should have and sources close to the situation have told the Parlor that he will keep pushing on this issue.
For example, the Committee also sent a letter today (available here in a .pdf file) to former White House adviser Karl Rove telling him the committee is “seeking your appearance before the House Judiciary Committee to testify concerning the troubling issue of the politicization of the Department of Justice during this Administration, including allegations regarding the prosecution of former Governor of Alabama Don Siegelman.” While Rove has ignored a subpoena to testify before Congress in its investigation of the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, the Committee notes “recent reports that your attorney has stated your willingness to testify before the Committee” on this matter.
And the Committee today tells U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey in a letter (available here in a .pdf file) sent today that it is not going away on these issues:
There are few issues which have proved so corrosive to the [Justice] Department’s reputation as the persistent concerns that political considerations may have influenced the exercise of prosecutorial power during this Administration.
… Chairman [John] Conyers has today asked the Department’s Offices of the Inspector General and Professional Responsibility to conduct a thorough review of these issues as one of several needed steps in the restoration of the Department’s reputation for fairness and impartiality. The Committee’s work on this matter also continues and in this regard we are renewing the Committee’s prior request for relevant documents on the Siegelman and Wecht prosecutions discussed in prior correspondence.
Prior correspondence … make clear that the Department’s blanket refusal to provide information or documents about “open” cases is legally unsupportable…
Conyers looks determined to see this story through.
Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh has served as state GOP chair and in Gov. Bob Riley’s office, so it would not be a huge surprise here if she is the party establishment’s choice to pick-up the GOP nomination for PSC President. Indeed, the word heard here is that her competition for the nomination, Matt Chancey and Jack Hornady, are shut out of a Montgomery County GOP event next Monday, even though all GOP candidates for the Court of Criminal Appeals were invited along with Cavanaugh.
Update: A clarification that may or may not be useful… While I am interested in the dynamics at play here, I don’t meant to suggest that the Alabama Republican Party itself is backing or endorsing one candidate over another in this situation.
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Former Congressman Sonny Callahan of Mobile has agreed to be Tim James’s State Campaign Chair for the 2010 Alabama gubernatorial campaign, a source close to James tells the Parlor.
Callahan represented the 1st Congressional District as a Republican for 18 years beginning with his election in 1984. He did not run in 2002 and was succeeded by Republican Jo Bonner.
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The Huntsville Times Breaking News site reports this afternoon that former Gov. Don Siegelman will be on 60 Minutes this Sunday:
Kevin Tedesco, a CBS spokesman, said “60 Minutes” will report on it further Sunday with an interview with Siegelman, who was recently released from prison while his corruption conviction is on appeal. Tedesco said Siegelman would challenge Rove to testify under oath.
Though the interview is not listed on the 60 Minutes website among the topics for Sunday’s show, sources close to the former Governor tell the Parlor that 60 Minutes will air a short interview Sunday night and have a longer interview on its website.
The sources add that Siegelman is also slated to appear on MSNBC Monday night with Dan Abrams.
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The effort by the out-of-stater who started a “Draft Jim Folsom, Jr. for U.S. Senate in 2008″ blog last weekend looks to be too little too late as qualifying ends Friday. Though I think a lot more effort than this would still have been too little to get the Lt. Governor into the Senate race.
Nice of him to send the email this way though. And to Daily Dixie, too.
Helen Hammons writes this report for the Parlor.
It is a difficult job to stop a ship thrown against the rocks from tearing itself apart, right the ship, and set a correct course for the open sea. When that ship is the two-year college system, long intertwined with money, scandal, and Alabama politics, and when every time the ship finds itself trying to set sail again storms keep coming, the task of skippering that ship can be herculean.
The latest small storm to blow across the bow of Chancellor Bradley Byrne’s ship are questions being raised about a contract worth a half million dollars (pdf) to conduct background checks on almost 11,000 system employees, including the chancellor himself. What appeared to be a ho-hum state Board of Education (SBOE) meeting on March 27, turned into a discussion of the system’s selection of the New Market, Alabama –based company, The Integrity Group, LLC (TIG), for the job. At that point the contract was signed, even though it did not go into effect until today, April 1.
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Rep. Jeremy Oden (R - Eva) had considered running for President of the Public Service Commission this year but tells the Parlor that he is going to sit out that race to focus on his greater interest, a run for State Treasurer in 2010. Current work commitments and a desire to be best prepared for the Treasurer’s race lead him to pass on the PSC race, despite the encouragement he says he has received toward his interest in the PSC position. Terms limits will prevent incumbent Treasurer Kay Ivey (R) from running again in 2010.
Former Lt. Governor Lucy Baxley will run for the PSC presidency on the Democratic side, and former state GOP chair Twinkle Cavanaugh has announced her candidacy.
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Former Gov. Don Siegelman is to be released on an appeal bond.
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals said the governor had shown he was not a flight risk; that he was not appealing for the purposes of delay and that his conviction “raised substantial questions of law or fact.”
Read more:
Birmingham News
Mobile Press-Register
Associated Press
Tom and Jerry.
Tweety and Sylvester.
Troy King and Mark Montiel.
In the previous episode, Montiel accuses Attorney General Troy King of “possible criminal violations of the Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act” and in a letter to Secretary of State Beth Chapman asks for a “full, complete and independent investigation.”
An attorney in Chapman’s office responded “that the office lacks prosecutorial powers.”
In the latest episode, Montiel then wanted the Attorney General’s office to investigate Chapman for her use of her campaign funds, but the AG’s office responded “there does not appear to be a violation of any laws.”
But stay tuned for the next episode.
Montiel said he’s not finished because he is also seeking an investigation by the State Ethics Commission and Montgomery County district attorney.
A Decatur Daily editorial today sums it up:
The incident involving slash-and burn Secretary of State Beth Chapman and Attorney General Troy King and their campaign funds is intriguing, if only for its creativity.
Party gadfly Mark Montiel decided if he couldn’t get Ms. Chapman to investigate Attorney General Troy King he would try to get the attorney general to investigate the secretary of state. All are Republicans.
Previous episodes featured Montiel challenging Troy King in the Republican primary for Attorney General, the two on opposite sides of Montiel’s lawsuit challenging the election of four Democratic state senators, both eager to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the legislature’s community service grants during their AG race, and Montiel calling for a criminal investigation into King’s use of campaign contributions in 2006.
Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote.
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The Huffington Post yesterday offers how attorney Rob Riley profited handsomely “as local counsel to the New Mexico State Investment Council” in a civil suit against HealthSouth and its CEO Richard Scrushy. The Post zeroes in on the idea that Rob Riley would have benefitted from insight that Don Siegelman (not yet indicted) would be facing legal woes and that Scrushy would be ensnared.
According to the article, Riley did not have much experience in securities litigation, and the thrust of the article may be summed in what a reader said in email, “If you have a case that could bring your pension fund millions who do you go get? Perhaps leaders in this type of litigation? Or in this case, someone who had foreknowledge of damaging information about Healthsouth’s CEO?”
And while Siegelman & Company are not winning legal battles, they appear to be making strides in the public arena. For example, when Joe Conason of the New York Observer in a column yesterday wanted an aside (in an article otherwise about Eliot Spitzer) to illustrate that “the Justice Department’s record under the Bush regime inevitably raises suspicions now,” of all possible example he might have used, he flatly asserts that Siegelman “was sent to prison on transparently inflated charges, using flawed evidence.”
But between winning in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion, he’s not winning where it counts for him.
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…and What’s Horse Manure got to do with Anything?
Helen Hammons is once again roving the halls of the legislature, and sent us this report.
Pre-clearance from the Justice Department came last Friday related to the policy known as "double dipping," Chancellor Bradley Byrne, head of the two-year system, sent a memo (available here in pdf format) to his college presidents on Tuesday, March 4, stating the policies involved were to be implemented "effective immediately."
The memo set out the following information to the presidents:
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 | Alabama Line |
(R) Jeff Sessions (1-19)
Would take a Larry Craig-type revelation to shake up this race.
(D) Vivian Figures (33-1)
Is anything shaking in this race at all?
(D) David Marsh (OFF)
A rumor here, a rumor there, but we haven’t seen that they have legs.
(D) Artur Davis (OFF)
Could have been strong underdog, but he’s out
(D) Jim Folsom (OFF)
No rumblings, whispers, or substantial rumors that he might run.
(D) Pete Johnson (OFF)
Said August 3 that he will not run. (B’ham News, 8/4/07)
(D) Ron Sparks (OFF)
Flirted with idea. Announced June 12 that he will not seek the office.
(R) Jo Bonner (1-29)
No obvious chinks in the armor.
(D) Benjamin Lodmell (>100-1)
Charge of soliciting more than votes gives him the longest of odds.
(D) Bobby Bright (3-2) NEW
Shoo-in for Democratic nomination, then the task toughens.
(R) Harri Anne Smith (3-1) NEW
Outright win only thing to keep her out of a GOP primary run-off.
(R) Jay Love (4-1) NEW
Easily the most viable of the Montgomery-area GOP candidates.
(R) David Woods (20-1) NEW
Is he crazy like a Fox-20 President?
(R) David Grimes (30-1) NEW
Showing least energy among those with some name ID.
(R) Craig Schmidtke (90-1) NEW
Oral surgeon will be able to numb the pain of loss.
(D) William Boyd (>100-1) NEW
Montgomery Mayoral hopeful will lose to Bright again.
(R) John W. Martin(>100-1) NEW
Army veteran will struggle to be competitive.
(R) Terry Everett (OFF)
The incumbent announced his retirement Sept. 26.
(R) Mike Rogers (1-11)
Heavy favorite but other incumbents have more favorably drawn districts.
(D) Josh Segall (19-1) NEW
District & early signs of professionalism up his chances a bit.
(R) Robert Aderholt (1-29)
Has built a base and enjoys powerful advantages of incumbency.
(D) Greg Warren (40-1)
It’s a sleeper race, and it’s still snoozing.
To be updated. See the AL-05 Big List.
(R) Ray McKee (tba)
The only announced challenger when Cramer announced retirement.
(D) Bud Cramer (OFF)
The incumbent announced his retirement on March 13.
(R) Spencer Bachus (1-70)
Most senior Republican in the state, in the most GOP District.
(D) Artur Davis (1-49)
Will be extremely difficult to unseat one of state Dems' leading lights.
(D) Jim Folsom (6-1)
LG has lots going for him, but plenty of obstacles until inaugural.
(R) Bradley Byrne (7-1)
Two year college ban is political gold. How rich is the vein?
(R) Troy King (17-2)
Top-ranking GOP candidate. Fierce detractors and fierce supporters.
(D) Artur Davis (9-1)
Little doubt that the popular Dem is considering a run.
(R) Mike Hubbard (13-1)
Party chair has nice launch pad but not committing to run.
(R) Jack Hawkins (15-1)
Transparent interest, would Riley's blessing be boon or bane?
(R) Kay Ivey (17-1)
Hitched her wagon to the wrong presidential candidate.
(D) Seth Hammett (18-1)
Maybe ties to 2-year college scandal are a little too close
(R) Tim James (19-1)
Announced, but politically inexperienced & has GOP detractors.
(R) Beth Chapman (20-1)
Too crowded. No reason for the SoS not to wait.
(D) Ron Sparks (20-1)
With Folsom & Davis obvious Dem frontrunners, he’ll likely pass.
(D) Mike Dow (22-1)
Too early to dismiss him from what may be his last shot.
(R) Tony Petelos (22-1)
Hoover Mayor focusing on re-election first.
(R) Luther Strange (22-1)
Might be more likely to run if King passes on this race.
(R) Charles Bishop (75-1)
Perennial possibility. Probably picked up pugilists’ support.
(R) Roy Moore (75-1)
Can’t rule him out until there is a stake in him. Is he still in GOP?
(R or I) Stan Pate (75-1)
Rumor says GOP curmudgeon considering. Perhaps as Independent?
(?) David Bronner (OFF)
He gets The Jimmy Rane TreatmentTM (See Rane below)
(L) Loretta Nall (OFF)
Tells the Parlor she won’t run for governor in 2010.
(R) Rob Riley (OFF)
The rumors are stale. Might run for AG.
(R) Harri Anne Smith (OFF)
She’ll be representing CD-2 or tainted by the loss.
(D) Susan Parker (OFF)
Democratic Party team player not needed off the bench.
(R) Jimmy Rane (OFF)
No indication that he is running despite earlier rumors.
(R) Richard Shelby (OFF)
Riley/Shelby office swap intriguing idea but no indication that he’ll run.
The Alabama Line and its contents are the creation of Doc’s Political Parlor, reflect consensus from insiders and well-connected folks on both sides of the aisle, and will be updated as conditions change. These odds are meant to inform, entertain, and provoke, not to serve as actual means for losing money. Permission granted to use this material if PoliticalParlor.net is cited as the source.
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