If this is true, EYE am through with the alleged Democratic #HumanShields in #SweetHomeAlabama

Alabama House Democrat threatens to expose colleagues’ affairs if Bentley impeached

Everyone knows the Mainstream Media was Tardy to the Party, and it was Social Media/Bloggers who first broke the Dr. Love / Freaky Becky story. The mainstream media's excuse was they didn't  have proof of the rumors, even though the elected Governor, and the De Facto Governor. were carrying on in plain sight.

Attorney Donald Watkins has been right on the money so far, so EYE have no reason to doubt him or his credibility, but if he is right about Joe Reed being a human shield for Governor Bentley... EYE am through with Joe Reed, Alvin Holmes, and The Alabama Democratic Conference. If what Donald Watkins is true, EYE apologize for ever defending any of them.  Regular readers, pick your teeth up off the floor.

Our Facebook news team has solved the Alvin Holmes-Robert Bentley human shield mystery. Holmes is a longtime political "puppet" of Alabama Democratic Conference Chairman Joe L. Reed and deceased Alabama Education Association Executive Secretary Paul Hubbert. Reed and Hubbert teamed up to help Bentley defeat Bradley Byrne in the 2010 Republican primary elections. Reed also privately supported Bentley in his 2014 election against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Parker Griffin. As a result, Bentley and Reed have developed a close personal friendship.
Away from public view, Reed functions as one of Bentley's trusted political advisors. In this undisclosed capacity, Reed works closely with Bentley and his chief legal counsel, David Byrne. Reed identifies "safe" blacks for Bentley to appoint to vacant judgeships and government boards, among other tasks.

With democrats like these,  who needs republicans?

EYE feel so betrayed.

It's 2016, EYE am Back!

My annual mental health break is over and EYE am back, raring to go! First, EYE would like to wish my readers a Happy New Year!  It is my HOPE 2016 will be the year for CHANGE we can believe in. If EYE offended anyone in 2015 by Keeping it Real,  EYE apologize.  NOT.  It's only going to get worse in 2016. The first day of the January marks the last day of Kwanzaa. EYE will continue to keep my eyes on the prize, be a voice for the voiceless, refuse to be marginalized, minimized and undervalued, and, to speak my mind with passion, courage and Faith.  That said, let's get busy.

So much stuff happened while EYE was on break EYE don't know where to start.  Since EYE keep an EYE on the Reddest of the Red States let's with a year in review of Sweet Home Alabama, where football dominates, public education, jobs, environmental protection, ethics, and  quality of life for children,  not so much. 

Much Ado was made about the brawl between Birmingham Mayor William Bell and City Council Member Marcus Lundy.  The media tried to make them the poster boys for Scumbags  and incompetence (code for stupid), but EYE must remind them, this is what elected officials do in Alabama.... and, it's not just the African American elected officials.

So, while the white, EYE mean, right wing of the Alabama Democratic Party tried to pull a coupe on Joe Reed and his bunch so white folks could regain control of the party, Alabama republicans were dismantling the already pitiful public education system.  If democrats spent half as much time fighting republicans as they did Joe Reed and his bunch, maybe the state wouldn't be first in football and last in everything else. 

Who knew the reason white democrats stayed at home in 2010 was because they believed Obama hadn’t done enough so they decided to stay home to “punish” Obama for not being the Savior they thought they’d elected in 2008 and stuck all of us with GOP majorities in Congress).  If anyone should have stayed home in 2010 because Obama was not the Savior they thought they elected in 2008 it should have been African American democrats, but we didn't, because we don't have the luxury of not voting.  The right to vote is sacred to African Americans.  It's steeped in blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice.  We can always be counted on to vote.  White democrats not so much.

African Americans vote even when we don't have anyone to vote FOR.  But that's going to change for me.  EYE will no longer vote a straight democratic ticket.  Just because someone is on the democratic ticket doesn't mean they are a democrat.  And no, an African American Pastor who moved to the state two years ago, who was an Independent (code for republican) before he was a democrat, whose deep personal belief is life begins at conception, and preserving second amendment rights  doesn't cut it. If EYE wanted a someone who shared his point of view EYE would be a republican.

Lot's more to talk about, stay tuned.

RedEye

Artur Davis vs Joe Reed Round 2

Poor Artur Davis is a man without a party , and according to him, it's all Joe Reed's fault. Sigh

Yep,  Joe Reed told him to pander to the right at the expense of his constituents for his personal political gain.

The endorsement of these groups is not about who has the best position on health care, or bingo or ethics reform, or unemployment, or jobs — New South endorsed Earl Hilliard, Jr. over Davis in both 2000 and 2002 and they've never given him more than token support in the years since. These endorsements are about kow-towing to the power brokers and Artur Davis has never been willing to do that. Bottom line, history tells us Joe Reed would move heaven and earth to keep ADC from endorsing Artur Davis. Ditto Hank Sanders and New South Coalition. It's the status quo vs. a new way of doing business in Alabama, and the folks who wield power with the current system aren't going to give it up quietly.
Ron Sparks will happily kow-tow and they'll endorse him. No surprise there.

Joe Reed made him throw President Obama and the Democratic Party under the bus 

Joe Reed is the reason he accused African American Alabamians of wholesale voter fraud.

Former Alabama Rep. Artur Davis is either trying to out-Harold Ford Harold Ford by being a Democratic turn-coat, or he's auditioning for a slot on Fox News. Or maybe this is all just sour grapes because he lost in a Democratic primary to Ron Sparks when he ran in 2010.
Anyway, Davis made news last week (the only news he's made since losing in the primary) bywriting an editorial in the Montgomery Advertiser alleging that voter suppression laws were perfectly reasonable. That's because, he says, "the most aggressive contemporary voter suppression in the African American community, at least in Alabama, is the wholesale manufacture of ballots, at the polls and absentee, in parts of the Black Belt."

It's all Joe Reed's fault.

It would be easy to look at yesterday's defeat for Artur Davis as simply a case of Joe Reed's ADC (Alabama Democratic Conference) having its way, but it would be as wrong to assume that, as it was to assume that black voters would automatically vote FOR Davis because he is black.
The fact is, that after punching the ADC in the mouth, which I'm glad he did, Davis didn't seem to have a real plan for connecting with black voters, which was still possible, despite the rift with the ADC. Believe it or not, there's no overwhelming love for Mr. Reed or the ADC in the black community, of which I'm aware.

Not.  But don't let the facts get in the way of the truth.  

Even IF Artur is elected he will not replace the so called aging black political establishment that isn’t ready to give up its out sized role in political affairs. As a matter of fact it will energize the so called aging black political establishment because they know Artur Davis will throw black folks under the bus in a New York minuet. IF Davis is elected he will not be the so called new leader of black folks. Black folks don't follow leaders that will lead them off a cliff. 

Here is another painful truth, if the Alabama Democratic Party can forgive Parker Griffin they have to forgive Artur Davis too.  Note EYE said forgive, not forget.  And trust me, voters have a long memory for traitors, ask Parker Griffin.

Party-switching Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.) on Tuesday became the fourth congressional incumbent this year to be defeated in a primary, losing decisively in his first test before voters in his new party.
With his loss, Griffith became the second party switcher to fall short in as many weeks, following the May 18 defeat of Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), a former Republican who lost the seat he had held for three decades in a Democratic primary.

Here is a modest proposal, allow Artur Davis back into the party, but don't let his name appear on the ballot until we are sure he's learned his lesson.  Until then, EYE don't want to hear another word about Artur Davis.  Not one.

Artur, you lost--and you were wrong. Do us all a favor: Find a comfy place to live in Virginia, lick your wounds, and stay the hell away from Alabama--at least our political world. We have plenty of corporate suck-ups down here. We don't need another one.

RedEye Over and Out 

Psst Joe Reed, Nancy Worley, and the SDEC...This open letter is for Y-O-U

Dear Above All,
It's me, RedEye, as you know, EYE am a big supporter of you and your leadership, that's why it really pains me to write this letter.  My Daddy used to tell my siblings and me he would support us 100% if were done wrong, but he wouldn't support us if we were doing wrong.  EYE hate to tell you this, but you are doing Artur Davis wrong.  You can't allow the other traitors/infiltrators  back into the party, then stand in the party door when it comes to him.  You just can't.  

Let Artur Davis slink back in too, but let this be a lesson learned....once they leave don't let them back in.  None of them.  Apply the Radney Rule equally.    As a matter of fact, you might want to re-examine this "big tent" meme too. Stop letting any and everybody under the tent.  In case you haven't noticed the right side of the fence is fighting against the left side of the tent, making the whole damn tent fall down.

I'm glad you aren't falling for the diversity scheme, I mean, meme, but you have to be more careful about some of these democrats whose main purpose is to prevent democrats from living up to their agenda.  Am I talking about a purity test?  No.  I'm talking about a loyalty test.  You are either for the democratic agenda, all of it, or you are against the democratic agenda.  It's that simple.

If we could get the pseudo democrats out of the party we would be OK.  It's time to let the democratic wing of the democratic party take charge.  When all the fingers on the hand work together it forms a mighty fist.

Your friend,
RedEye

Edited~ EYE guess it depends on what the definition of an " asset" IS

Former gubernatorial candidate Parker Griffin calls for new leadership in the Alabama Democratic Party

True to his promise, former Alabama Congress Critter Artur Davis has taken his case to the republican controlled courts in his quest to become a democrat again.  The conventional wisdom claims he is arrogant and didn't grovel enough , which explains why he is being treated differently from other party switchers.  

Let's go inside the  Artur Davis  lawsuit. Emphasis mine

The suit states Davis "declared his willingness to advocate for principles and views associated with the Democratic Party, and to offer material support for Democratic candidates."
Davis said the party didn't grant waiver because "he failed to demonstrate that he would be an asset to the Democratic Party."
Davis says the Democratic Party doesn't define what "asset" is, and it shouldn't be ground for denying his admittance.
The party "unconstitutionally violated Davis' due process rights because he has been denied a Radney Rule exemption or waiver where other, similarly-situated candidates have been granted Radney Rule exemptions," the lawsuit states.

According to dictionary.com an asset is defined as a useful, thing, person, or quality.  What is the Alabama Democratic Party's definition?  If it's the same as dictionary.com, are they saying Davis failed to prove he was a useful, thing, person, or quality?  If so, what makes him any less of a useful thing, person, or quality than Parker Griffin?  

As far as the arrogant and begging forgiveness charges, according to Parker Griffin he didn't have to jump through the loops Artur Davis is being required to jump through, he just sneaked, I mean, walked right on in. Emphasis mine.

Griffith said that while he wasn't at home with the national Democratic Party or with tea party Republicans, he figured he had been at home with Alabama Democrats. He contacted state Democratic Party Vice Chairman Joe Reed about returning. After a letter and some meetings, the party's executive committee let him return, but not by a unanimous vote.
At the time, Reed was trying to help the state Democratic Party keep its Montgomery headquarters open while facing more than $500,000 in debt.
"A Democrat said to me, 'Did you have to write him a $600,000 check to get the party out of debt?' I said, 'No, it never came up,'" Griffith said.

EYE guess biting the hand that feeds you is an asset. 

Griffith, 72, said he would be willing to serve as an interim party chairman to try to unite Democrats, but he has no interest in a long-term leadership position.
In his view, new leadership must craft an image for the Alabama Democratic Party that appeals to the white, blue-collar males who have switched to the GOP. For him, that means getting away from the national party's support of abortion, gun control and gay marriage.
"We've got to separate ourselves from the far left in Washington, D.C.," he said.
Reed said he supports Worley, and Griffith need not anticipate a call to lead the party.
"No one is going to turn the party over to him, no sir," Reed said. 

There are some in the ADP who refuse to see that Artur Davis is being punished more harshly than other party switchers.  Again, other than the obvious there is not a dimes worth of difference between Artur Davis and Parker Griffin.  Allow me to refresh the memory of those who are trying to rewrite history with a stroll down Memory Lane.

Read all of our coverage of Parker Griffith's party switch 

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee wants Parker Griffith contributions back

Parker Griffith: Democrats 'do not share my values' 

Artur Davis: It's ironic that Parker Griffith joining party that bashed him in 2008 

Republicancandidates for Congress speak up after Parker Griffith's switch to GO

Griffith's switch to GOP 'a pleasant surprise,' Rep. Mike Hubbard says

State Democratic party feels 'betrayed' by Parker Griffith, asks for campaign donations back

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt welcomes Griffith to the Republican fold

A look at Parker Griffith's voting record

Political Web site says U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville, will join GOP today

EYE think EYE have figured out what is wrong with the Alabama Democratic Party...they are really Dixiecrats.  They had no problem with Artur Davis when he pandered to the right at the expense of the traditional democratic base when he was running for Governor, but now it's a problem.  It's also why he will probably win in court. If the ADP were smart, and EYE am not saying they are, they would let him back in and let the voters decide his fate.  Again.  

All told, Davis is requesting the court uphold his assertions that the term "asset" is unconstitutionally vague and his denial was an unfair double standard.

It is what it is.  It just is. 

Assets in black and white:  The man who should have been at the top of the democratic ticket but wasn't speaks truth to power at the Madison County Democratic  Party fundraiser last week, and GOP Congress Critter Martha Roby makes Alabama Proud.

 Not.

RedEye's #SweetHomeAlabama Rundown #BloodSuckers #DMV #VoterSuppression #BlackBelt #DebtorsPrison #ArturDavis #ParkerGriffin

B-But Black on Black Crime....It's not about the Blood-Sucking Judge, it's about the Blood-Sucking SYSTEM.  So, the Concern Trolls have their knickers in a knot because Circuit Judge Marvin Wiggins offered  people the option of donating blood to pay their fines, or go to jail for non violent offenses.  Instead of concentrating on the fact people were put in the position of paying with blood  they chose to concentrate on Judge Wiggins.  Sigh

Arrestees that are too poor to afford the bond money - $500 for each misdemeanor charge - must remain in jail until the following Tuesday, when they appear via video conference from the jail at the city's only weekly court session, according to the lawsuit.
Last Friday, the U.S. DOJ filed a "statement of interest" in the case, in which they agreed to help provide the court a framework to assess the plaintiff's claim of an unlawful bail scheme.
The statement of interest does not take a position on Varden's claims. But U.S. DOJ Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement that the "criminal justice system should not work differently for the indigent and the wealthy."
"Bail practices that create a two tiered system of justice by treating the indigent and the wealthy differently undermine fundamental fairness in our nation's criminal justice system," she stated.

Sirrus XM radio host Joe Madison constantly reminds his audience to go inside the story and to listen with a third ear so let's do just that.   Judge Marvin Wiggins is a judge in the 4th Circuit in Alabama. He has served in this position since January 19, 1999, following his election in 1998.  Judge Wiggins was also removed  from the Alabama State University Board of Trustees by Governor Robert Bentley last year.  Hmmm

Maybe Judge Wiggins was trying not to end up like his fellow 4th Circuit Judge Jo Celeste Pettway who was suspended without pay after a complaint was filed against her for get this...emphasis mine

The complaint alleges Pettway was slow to rule on small claims cases, did not follow the law, has a disorganized court and is biased towards defendants – or debtors – in the small claims cases.

Can you imagine being suspended for 90 days without pay?   As my Daddy used to say we are all just one pay check away from poverty.  But maybe that's the plan...

Everybody is wrong about the Alabama DMV office closings  & why it matters.   It's not about the Voter ID card, it's about registered voters being required to obtain a special ID card in order to exercise their right to vote.  There is no right way to do the wrong thing.  Congress should restore the Voting Rights Act, and the Alabama State Legislature should repeal the Voter ID Bill.  Problem solved. 

If the Alabama Democratic Party can forgive Parker Griffin, they have to forgive Artur Davis.  They just do.  There are some in the ADP who refuse to see that Artur Davis is being punished more harshly than other party switchers.  Again,  other than the obvious there is not a dimes worth of difference between Artur Davis and Parker Griffin.  Allow me to refresh the memory of those who are trying to rewrite history with a stroll down Memory Lane.

Read all of our coverage of Parker Griffith's party switch 

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee wants Parker Griffith contributions back

Parker Griffith: Democrats 'do not share my values' 

Artur Davis: It's ironic that Parker Griffith joining party that bashed him in 2008Republican

candidates for Congress speak up after Parker Griffith's switch to GO

Griffith's switch to GOP 'a pleasant surprise,' Rep. Mike Hubbard says

State Democratic party feels 'betrayed' by Parker Griffith, asks for campaign donations back

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt welcomes Griffith to the Republican fold

A look at Parker Griffith's voting record

Political Web site says U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville, will join GOP today

EYE think EYE have figured out what is wrong with the Alabama Democratic Party...they are really Dixiecrats.  They had no problem with Artur Davis when he pandered to the right at the expense of the traditional democratic base when he was running for Governor, but now it's a problem.  It's also why he will probably win in court.  If the ADP were smart, and EYE am not saying they are, they would let him back in and let the voters decide is fate.  Again.  

All told, Davis is requesting the court uphold his assertions that the term "asset" is unconstitutionally vague and his denial was an unfair double standard.

It is what it is.  It just is. 

#Artur "Davis says that if the Democrats can forgive Parker Griffith, they should be able to forgive him."

Parker Griffith submits his paperwork to run for governor at Alabama Democratic Party headquarters in Montgomery on Friday afternoon. (Mike Cason | mcason@al.com)

And he's right (pun intended), there's this little thingy called precedent. What EYE want to know is when/where and what "democrats" forgave Parker Griffith  exactly?

Bentley announced his re-election campaign in 2013. Griffith waited until 15 minutes before signup deadline for candidates on Feb. 7.
Griffith said he had been considering it for a few months. He even had a poll done in December by Public Policy Polling in Raleigh, N.C., that indicated Bentley's favorability rating was low enough that he might be vulnerable.
But Griffith said he waited because he thought former Gov. Jim Folsom Jr. or state Sen. Billy Beasley might enter the race. When it became clear they weren't, he and his wife, Virginia, dashed to the state Democratic Party headquarters in Montgomery. He walked in, filled out the qualifying papers, but then walked outside to the sidewalk with his wife to give it one more thought.
"She said, 'How will you feel if you get in the car and drive back to Huntsville not having thrown your hat in the ring? I think you ought to do it.'"
At that, he walked inside, filled his paperwork and began another campaign.

Let's recap for those who don't know.  There is an old saying "don't burn the bridge that will take you over the water", well  Artur Davis is attempting to walk on water and rejoin the democratic party after he not only set fire to the bridge, but blew the bridge up.

As mentioned earlier, Davis defected to the GOP and in 2012, he supported Mitt Romney for president, giving a speech from the floor of the Republican National Convention. Before that, while still in Congress, he voted against Obamacare -- the only member of the Democratic Black Caucus to do so.
Now he wants back in the Democratic party, if not their good graces, and he has written the party's executive committee a letter asking them to open the door.
The only thing is that the party has something called the "Radney Rule," which prohibits anyone from qualifying as a Democrat if that person has supported Republicans in the last election cycle.

About that Radney Rule.....based on the al.com article Parker Griffin didn't write a letter to the party's executive committee asking them to open the door   

Griffith, 71, was elected to North Alabama's 5th District congressional seat as a Democrat in November 2008 but switched parties less than a year later. At the time, he said there appeared to be no place in the national Democratic Party for a "pro-business, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment" congressman.

But GOP voters never embraced Griffith as one of their own: He lost his bid for re-election in 2010, finishing more than 12,000 votes behind then-Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks in the Republican primary.
He tried to reclaim the 5th District seat from Brooks in 2012 but fared even worse, despite pumping more than $568,000 of his own money into the campaign.
Last fall, Griffith briefly explored the idea of challenging Brooks as an independent candidate. He recently rejoined the state Democratic Party and said earlier this week that most people have been "gracious" about his return.

Really? 

It's incumbent on the Party leadership at every level, both in the Party proper, and among the caucus leadership in legislative bodies, to help remind the entire office-holding Party of the likely futility of switching. This is not something you want to do with a high degree of visibility, and even a private, but overt “conversation” might be over the top. But the occasional joke at a banquet about “One-Term Griffith” will not only bring a laugh, it will serve as a reminder. Post-switch retaliation, such as letters to the editor (and the occasional lawsuit!) demanding refunds of contributions are less effective, though a few switchers have been shamed into refunding Democratic contributions.

Did Parker Griffin go before the State Democratic Executive Committee or not?

The Radney Rule allows a party member to challenge a potential candidate’s ballot qualification if the potential candidate supported a candidate for another party within the last four years. According to the challenge from Miles, Grimsley gave $500 to Secretary of State candidate Beth Chapman in August 2006 when Nancy Worley was the Democratic nominee. Over at Left in Alabama (who was first out with the story), Grimsley’s potential candidacy is finding few friends.
Speaking of the Radney Rule… Democratic political consultant Steve Raby has been mentioned as a potential candidate for Congressional District AL-05. Would he be vulnerable to a Radney Rule challenge himself through contributions he directed to Republicans through his PAC [.pdf]? Or would it be not so much of an issue because the contributions are technically from his PAC (albeit presumably at his direction) and not directly from himself?
Update: Readers have pointed out that the Democratic Party by-laws state that no candidate is permitted to qualify as a Democrat “who did not support the nominees of the Democratic Party in all Special or General Elections during the past four years.” While Raby has given to plenty of Republicans, he seems to do it during primaries, not during the general election cycle where you could say he was not supporting the Democratic nominee, at least as far as I have seen. Furthermore, the by-laws allow such a potential candidate to renounce his previous allegiance, explain the error of her ways, and “If, after such a hearing, the Executive Board is convinced by a preponderance of the evidence that such a person would be an asset to the Democratic Party, the Executive Board may, by a vote of two-thirds of those present and voting, allow that person to seek office as a Democrat.”

Again, exactly WHO forgave Parker Griffin?   Madison County Commissioner Bob Harrison said it best:  It's like he thinks nobody remembers what he said when he ran for office and nobody has a video camera or even some old newspapers laying around."

Inquiring minds want to know who/what/when democrats forgave Parker Griffin for biting the hands that fed him?

Whats the matter with Democrats in Alabama you ask? Take a look in the mirror. The Alabama Democratic party has been infiltrated. That's what's wrong with the democratic party in Alabama. You know the drill. Find an effective liberal group/blog. Pick a fight. Have the groups pick sides. And who wins in the end? Not democrats that's for sure.

Waiting on someone to blame Joe Reed and his bunch in 5-4-3-2-1....