Should A Mayor Be Partisan?

Prior to the Alabama primary election last week, I received the following text from the mayor of Opelika:

This is a message from Opelika Mayor Eddie Smith letting you know that I am endorsing Wes Allen for Lt. Governor. I have no doubt that he will do an outstanding job and serve us with honesty and integrity. Please join me in voting for Wes tomorrow. The polls will be open from 7am-7pm. The City of Opelika does not endorse candidates for public office. Reply STOP to opt out. Msg sent to Donald. Text fee pd for by WesAllenforAlabama.com

As a political endorsement from the mayor seemed highly inappropriate, I sent him an email:

This afternoon, I received a text message claiming to be from you and endorsing Wes Allen for Lt. Governor. While the text says the city does not endorse candidates, I also find it unethical for elected officials to endorse candidates using their office to influence others. The mayor should be encouraging people to vote, regardless of candidate or party.

If you wish to endorse Wes Allen as a private citizen, I have no issue. Your endorsement as mayor diminishes my respect for your judgment and the office.

Secondly, I will not vote for Wes Allen given his Islamophobic bias. Attacking another candidate, Allen was quoted by al.com as stating

“There is no excuse for participating in the celebration of Islamic Ramadan. There is no excuse to go to a place that operates a mosque and a school to indoctrinate children into Islam, even if you are invited to do so.”

Allen added that the public “will never find me in an Islamic Center or a mosque,” describing himself as a “committed Christian.”

America was founded on the principle of freedom of religion. Allen's comments are antithetical to that founding principle and, in my opinion, disqualify him from serving as Lt. Governor.

I was surprised that the mayor promptly replied:

Mr. Lerude, thank you for your contact. I appreciate your input and explaining your concerns. You make very valid points. I will be more diligent in wording anything or anyone that I personally endorse. Best regards, Eddie

I was impressed and appreciated his acknowledgement of my concerns.

The $1.776 Billion Slush Fund

I am so distraught and angry that I can physically feel my stomach churn:

The latest and most egregious example of the Trump administration’s corruption is the outrageous $1.776 billion slush fund to reward his loyal subjects who claim the government was “weaponized” against them, particularly those who rioted at the Capital on January 6. I’d call that an insurrection aiming to keep President Trump in office.

Tied to this slush fund, the president’s personal attorney who now heads the Justice Department “negotiated” a deal to protect the president, his family, and businesses from IRS audits or future claims — despite a federal law that bars the president from interfering with the IRS.

Add all the stock trades timed to benefit from the president’s insider knowledge, the jet from Qatar, and the blatant business deals enriching his family.

(Hunter Biden was such an amateur.)

The president claims his administration is the most transparent in history. Yes, the most transparently corrupt.

This week when I filled my car, I paid $4.19 a gallon for the lowest grade of regular, the highest price since the president unilaterally attacked Iran. There’s no end in sight regardless of his yo-yo optimism, well timed to play the market.

Despite the war with Iran and the escalating cost of living, the president seems more interested in his big beautiful ballroom. I recall he said it would be funded with private donations; now he wants Congress to kick in $1 billion.

All these billions, not counting the to-be-defined cost of the Iran war, yet Republicans say we must cut programs that benefit Americans, like Medicaid and the tax credits to reduce the cost of health insurance.

By enabling the president to do whatever he wants, the Republican Congress is abetting his authoritarian hold on the country and undermining the Constitution. The words of Liz Cheney ring in my ears:

“I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”