My Big RedEye on Terri Sewell

Representative elect Sewell, my big REDEYE will be trained on you like a laser beam. Remember it's not about YOU, it's about the voters of the 7th district. I HOPE and PRAY you prove me wrong, not for MY sake, but for the sake of the the 7th district.

h/t gradyw

Alabama now has one Democratic member of Congress who's top paid adviser has no strong ties to the 7th Congressional District. Prior to her employment with Congresswoman Sutton she worked for the Homeland Security Committee.

That's right (pun intended) Terri Sewells top advisor has no strong ties to the 7th Congressional District, but as gradyw points out, she has strong ties to Emily's List. It also may explain why Emiliy's list wanted to buy an Alabama Congressional Seat so badly.

Who is Women Vote?
An organization by the name of Women Vote has been created to help funnel money into the Terri Sewell campaign. Today, they just made an independent expenditure for $8500
So who is Women Vote? Not an Alabama organization, but an organization with an address listed at

1120 Connecticut Ave NW
Ste 1100
Washington, DC 20036
The same address as Emily's List.

So our impression is that Emily's List changed the name on this PAC so that it did not look like it was dumping more money in this race.

Why is a pro-choice group expending so much of its resources into one race where you end up with the first African-American Congresswoman from Alabama? We are still trying to figure that one out, let us know if you have any ideas.

mooncat notes Reynolds other connections:

Reynolds was most recently chief of staff for Betty Sutton (D, OH-13), a Congresswoman with a pretty progressive record. Sutton came out against the catfood committee, is a member of the Populist Caucus, not the Blue Dogs and originated the Cash for Clunkers program. Given that as Ms. Reynolds' most recent assignment, I'm willing to overlook the fact that she was also a District Director (a position that definitely does not set policy) for former Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee.

I guess it depends on what the definition of a pretty progressive record and populist caucus IS. Her former employer didn't score too well on the political courage test.

Representative Betty Sutton refused to tell citizens where he/she stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

Per the course, the usual suspects defend the indefensible and bash, ban and smear those who don't share their point of view. But this one had me ROTLMAO;

Maybe . . . (4.00 / 1)
The uncertainty of the economy is a factor.

I have "no dog in this fight" at all but did live in the DC area for 16 years. Housing costs are high and taxes are high. One can do much better financially by staying in Alabama.

Ms. Reynolds probably already is living in the DC area and was available. She has experience with Congressional matters. Ms. Sewell being in a minority situation in more ways than one, she probably saw the need for someone with Washington experience.

But THIS is the most telling comment of all, emphasis mine;
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE!!! (4.00 / 1)

THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON FOR CHOICES THAT ARE MADE. I'M SURE MRS. REYNOLDS WAS CHOSEN FOR MANY GREAT REASONS. IF INDIVIDUALS WOULD SIT BACK SOME TIME AND LOOK AT THE WAY THINGS ARE HERE IN ALABAMA, IT SHOULD BE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR THAT MRS. SEWELL DECIDED TO BRING IN SOMEONE THAT WILL FOR SURE BRING FRESH IDEALS AND NOT DO THINGS IN THE PAST TENSE. ONE MUST UNDERSTAND JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY BE FROM THIS DISTRICT AND ETC. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE GOOD FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE DISTRICT. WE ALL SHOULD WANT TO BRIGHTEN OUR HORIZON TO BETTER OURSELVES. THIS MEANS ACCEPT CHALLENGES LIKE MRS. REYNOLDS HAS BY ACCEPTING THE OPPORTUNITY MRS. SEWELL HAS PRESENTED HER. MRS. REYNOLDS HAS ACHIEVED ON EVERY LEVEL NO MATTER WHERE SHE HAS BEEN. THE STATE DON'T NEED A PERSON IN THIS POSITION THAT JUST KNOW A AREA, WE NEED A PERSON LIKE MRS. REYNOLDS THAT KNOWS AREAS. MRS. SEWELL SHOULD BE PRAISED FOR MOVING AWAY FROM WHAT HAS BEEN.

Uh, it's Miss Sewell not Mrs. Sewell and she's not moving away from what has been, she's moving back to what WAS. And NO mooncat, we certainly aren't wishing Artur Davis had held on to his seat. The residents of the 7th district have been there and done that. It's not about me, it's about the people of the 7th district, remember?

"I just want to say I know who I am and whose I am. And if you send me to Congress, I will take those same values of faith, personal responsibility, hard work to Washington and roll up my sleeves and work on behalf of you each and every day. It's about remembering who elected you. It's about remembering why you're there: to represent the people....

If you honor me with your vote, I will serve you with honor. ... You won't be embarrassed by anything I say or do."

Again, talk is cheap. I hope you live up to the words and legacy of my Sorority Sister and not the legacy of your predecessor who voted against health care reform, the hate crimes bill, resigned from the house judiciary committee to run for Governor and was an apologist for some racist actions. Shirley Chisholm was a true, proud LIBERAL who spoke truth to power, unbossed and unafraid.

As a freshman, Chisholm was assigned to the House Agricultural Committee. Given her urban district, she felt the placement was irrelevant to her constituents[2] and shocked many by asking for reassignment. She was then placed on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.[2] Soon after, she voted for Hale Boggs as House Majority Leader over John Conyers. As a reward for her support, Boggs assigned her to the much-prized Education and Labor Committee,[7] which was her preferred committee.[2] She was the third highest-ranking member of this committee when she retired from Congress.
All those Chisholm hired for her office were women, half of them black. Chisholm said that during her New York legislative career, she had faced much more discrimination because she was a woman than because she was black.

This appointment is not living up to your promise and I HOPE and PRAY it's not a sign of things to come...not for my sake, but for the residents of the 7th district.

Redeye's Interesting Reads and Rants for Interesting Times

This is not the Effing Hope and Change I worked for, donated to and voted for. How many @#!% jobs did the Bush tax cut for the rich create? ZERO. ZILCH. NADA. So why the heck is Bush, I mean Obama extending them for two more years? Are we not supposed to notice the Bush tax cuts are extended for two years, but unemployment insurance is only extended for 13 months? Former President Bill Clinton tried to tell us the Obama story was a fairy tail..of course the media we have twisted it into him playing the @#$ race card taking the focus off of the substance of his remarks.

During a December taping with PBS's Charlie Rose, a frustrated Clinton called Obama "a roll of the dice," as aides tried to end the interview. Then, in New Hampshire, he argued angrily that the story of Obama's principled position on the Iraq War was a "fairy tale," a charge few reporters bought. Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the top-ranking African-American in Congress and officially neutral, found Clinton's tone insulting and said so publicly.

I don't feel sorry for President Obama, I feel sorry for the American people.

Only fools should feel sorry for Obama as he prepares for a Republican-led House and weakened Democratic control of the Senate. This is Obama’s “comfort zone,” where he can continue to woo Republicans to join his grand center-right coalition. The only people Obama has no tolerance for are liberalish Democrats, who will emerge relatively stronger in the new Congress thanks to the decimation of Obama’s Republican-Lite friends in conservative Democratic ranks. By freezing federal wages, Obama signals that he has no philosophical problems with the GOP’s general aims.

To say I am disappointed in President Obama for compromising with the gop gangsters is an understatement. Like his Harvard buddy Artur Davis, he has ripped his drawers with me.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama said over and over that he was running to "put an end to the Bush-McCain philosophy." Campaigning in Colorado just days before the election, Obama clearly stated his opposition to Bush-era economic policies and ridiculed the idea that "we should give more and more to millionaires and billionaires and hope that it trickles down on everybody else. It’s a philosophy that gives tax breaks to wealthy CEOs and to corporations that ship jobs overseas while hundreds of thousands of jobs are disappearing here at home."

After months of breathless speculation 7th district Congress Critter elect Terri Sewell names Nichole Francis Reynolds as her Chief of Staff. I haven't been able to find out much information about Ms. Reynolds but I do know she is a native of Loraine Ohio, she is the former COS for OH-13 Congress Critter Betty Sutton and is a member of the populist caucus.

2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the Business-Industry Political Action Committee 10 percent in 2008.

2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the The Alliance for Worker Freedom 0 percent in 2008.

2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 61 percent in 2008.

2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - Lifetime 58 percent during their legislative career up until 2008.

2007-2008 Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to American Forest and Paper Association's position, Representative Sutton received a rating of 33 percent.

2007-2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the Associated General Contractors of America 71 percent in 2007-2008.

2007-2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the International Warehouse Logistics Association 10 percent in 2007-2008.

2007-2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the National Association of Manufacturers 20 percent in 2007-2008.

2007-2008 In 2007-2008 National Federation of Independent Business gave Representative Sutton a rating of 56 in its 110th (2007-2008) Pre-Election Congressional Report.

2007-2008 Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to National Restaurant Association's position, Representative Sutton received a rating of 40.

2007-2008 Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to National Retail Federation's position, Representative Sutton received a rating of 20 percent.

2007-2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the National Small Business Association 69 percent in 2007-2008.

2007-2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association 70 percent in 2007-2008.

2007-2008 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association 70 percent in 2007-2008.

2007 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the Business-Industry Political Action Committee 0 percent in 2007.

2007 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the Consumer Alliance for Energy Security 0 percent in 2007.

2007 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the The Alliance for Worker Freedom 0 percent in 2007.

2007 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association 0 percent in 2007.

2007 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 55 percent in 2007.

1999-2000 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the Ohio National Federation of Independent Business 25 percent in 1999-2000.

1995-1996 Representative Sutton supported the interests of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce 43 percent in 1995-1996.

This coupled with the fact Reynolds was the District Director for former DINO Congress Critter Harold Ford, Jr. doesn't bode well for the voters in the 7th district. And couldn't Sewell have found a qualified individual from her district/state as her COS? Terri Sewell said she wasn't going to be a rubber stamp for President Obama, well here is her chance. She can vote HELL to the NO on the extension of the Bush tax cuts since he doesn't expect rubber stamp fealty in exchange for his endorsement.

Redeye Reads and Rants over and out.... to be continued when I can type without cussing.