It takes a special kind of politician to claim to be taking the high road while simultaneously taking shots at your opponent’s service to his country in the wake of 9/11. Tuscaloosa County Probabe Judge Hardy McCollum is apparently that special kind of politician. “I’ve worked with Sheriff Ted Sexton for more than 25 years and I’ll not attack him to win this race,” McCollum boasts in the below ad from the Tuscaloosa News. But just a few paragraphs down McCollum takes a shot at Sexton for leaving Tuscaloosa temporarily during his term as Sheriff to answer the White House’s call to be an Assistant Director of Homeland Security. “I’ve never deserted the poeple who elected me,” McCollum quips.
Sexton took to Facebook to answer the thinly veiled attack:
I appreciate the messages of support regarding a baseless alligation in a campaign ad. When called by the White House and asked to serve our country during a time of war and great concern about threats against our nation, I committed to serve as the First Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law Enforcement at the United States Department of Homeland Security. I was granted a military leave per state law by Governor Bob Riley who also appointed Ron Abernathy as the interim Sheriff. The Sheriff’s Office did not miss a beat. I performed the duties and challenges I was asked to address and upon completion returned to Tuscaloosa. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz was right. “There is no place like home.”
[Full disclosure: I was a consultant helping Ted Sexton get his campaign off the ground early in the general election.]
Everyone knows Jim Folsom brought Merecedes to Alanbama….gosh!!!
I can become a crook the next breath I take; Thank you!
BTW, criticizing Sheriff Sexton for temporarily moving to Washington is not only a low blow, but it was also an incredibly stupid move. This will not help Hardy.
“Judge McCollum is directly responsible in helping negotiate with state and business officials to bring new jobs and using the county’s reserve fund to help attract business and industry like the following:”
That’s a quote from the ad and…
Merecedes and many others are listed among the ‘following’ so I don’t see how McCollum isn’t taking credit for those industries moving in.
Please do your research. He is merely stating what did happen. Whether you feel it was for the good or not, it did happen. If the sheriff is elected PJ, that will be twice that he has left his elected office for something he thinks is better. You don’t have to agree, but facts are facts. And as for Mercedes, he has never taken full credit for any of the industries that come here, but he does deserve credit for the hours he puts in with the entire team to bring these companies here. He has worked hard for our county!
“Whether you feel it was good or not.” ?? Whether he feels like it was “GOOD OR NOT” that Sexton went to work in HOMELAND SECURITY after 9/11?! You, ma’am, are an idiot.
And it’s hard to say McCollum isn’t taking “full credit” for those jobs when he felt it necessary to include them in a campaign ad.
I don’t even live in Tuscaloosa, so I’m sure I should “butt out.” But it annoys me when people can’t remove their personal feelings from a situation and see the reality right in front of them. That’s what OBAMA supporters do, and it sounds like that’s what McCollum supporters do to.
Am I reading this correctly that Hardy McCollum is attempting to take credit for MERCEDES coming to Alabama? Give me a break.
Posted on McCollum’s FB page. Wonder how long before the remove it.
When someone’s been in office as long as Hardy McCollum has, they don’t remember what it was like to NOT control things, and there is no limit to what they will do to hold onto their power.
Even though Republicans won statewide and in legislative races last cycle, there are still a lot of Democrat good ol’ boy county commissioners, probate judges, and other local elected officials holding on to their seats.
That a great point. I also think that local races are often dirtier than bigger races because everyone knows each other and it almost always gets personal. McCollum says he’s worked with Sexton for 25 years. There’s no way you do this to someone you’ve known that long unless it’s personal.