By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
ForestPAC, the Political Action Committee of the Alabama Forestry Association is endorsing Mobile Judge Charlie Graddick for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court over incumbent Chuck Malone and former Chief Justice Roy Moore.
Graddick is the presiding judge in Mobile County Court.
In the endorsement they said, “Graddick, a familiar name to those of us who are over 40, first entered state politics as Attorney General in 1978. You may recall his “tough on crime” stance and the “Jail House Door” commercials he ran in that race. Indeed Graddick was tough on crime, having cut his teeth prosecuting dangerous and violent criminals as Mobile County District Attorney before being elected AG.”
“Charlie’s tough on crime image, epitomized by his Jail House Door ad, made him a very popular Attorney General. Popular enough that he won the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1986, only to have a 5-member panel selected by the Democratic Party “handpick” his opponent as nominee in a dispute over crossover voting that year,” the ForestPAC press release said.
The unpopular decision by the Judges to replace AG Charlie Graddick on the General Election ballot with Lieutenant Governor Bill Baxley contributed to the election of Cullman County Probate Judge Guy Hunt, the first Republican elected governor in Alabama in over a century. Since that historic 1986 election the Democratic Party has won only one gubernatorial election.
Current Chief Justice Chuck Malone was Governor Bentley’s Chief of Staff until Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb (D), unexpectedly quit for personal reasons. Gov. Bentley then appointed Malone to be Chief Justice. Judge Graddick was already campaigning for the Chief Justice position then. Also running in the March 13th Republican Primary is former Chief Justice Roy Moore. Chief Justice Moore was elected in 2002; but was later removed because a federal judge ordered Moore to remove his Ten Commandments display and Judge Moore refused. Chief Justice Moore then ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Alabama in the Republican Primary in 2006 and 2010. Chief Justice Moore had explored running for President but was injured in a horse training accident last year. The winner of the Republican Primary will face Pelham attorney and perennial candidate Harry Lyon (D) in the November 6th General Election.
To read the whole press release:
http://afa.affiniscape.com/associations/13323/files/ForestPAC-EndorsesGraddick2USE.pdf
