By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday August 9, 2017, US Senate candidate Dr. Randy Brinson (R) was critical of Senator Luther Strange (R).
Brinson said, “It has been an interesting year in Alabama politics. … This election has been as much about scandal as it has been about issues.”
Brinson criticized Strange, “From his shady appointment to his shady contributions and campaign finance violations similar to what Gov. Bentley was convicted of.” “Sadly it looks like the Alabama Ethics Commission will not be doing its duties at least before the election.”
There have been a number of ethics complaints filed against Luther Strange since April over his controversial appointment by then Governor Robert Bentley and about alleged campaign finance violations. Tuscaloosa businessman Stan Pate filed another one on Thursday, August 10. The Alabama Ethics Commission postponed their meeting until Wednesday, August 16, the day after the primary, so there will no ruling released before Tuesday’s primary.
Dr. Brinson said, “The voters of Alabama deserve to have these questions answered before election day.”
Brinson said, “Now Luther’s attack dogs have turned on Roy Moore.” Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore founded the Foundation for Moral Law to provide legal assistance to Christians and others being persecuted by the state or atheist groups. Moore’s Foundation paid Moore and his wife Kayla a salary to run the Foundation. Strange’s powerful Washington, DC allies have been running attack ads accusing the Moore’s of misusing their Foundation; an allegation that Moore and the people involved in his group vehemently deny.
Dr. Brinson resigned his position as President of the Christian Coalition of Alabama to run for Senate. On Wednesday, Brinson released his own records showing that he did not accept a salary from the Christian Coalition. “Is it really charitable if you get paid for it. I don’t think so.”
Dr. Brinson said that Christians accept “Jesus Christ as our personal savior.” “We must not blindly follow a political leader of any type.”
Reporters asked Brinson how he reacted to President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement of Luther Strange.
Brinson said, “It is disappointing.” Brinson however maintained that, “I am the only person who can get problems solved her in Alabama.” “The people who supported Donald Trump do not support him as a person they support the values that he espoused.”
Brinson said that former State Representative Oliver Robinson (D-Birmingham) pleaded guilty to bribery and corruption to prevent an EPA Superfund site in North Birmingham from expanding. Brinson said that Luther Strange also opposed the expansion of the Superfund site and sent two letters opposing the expansion. Days after each letter, Strange received a campaign contribution from the polluter, the Drummond Company. Brinson suggested that many would be prosecuted beyond simply Oliver Robinson (who has pleaded guilty), the attorneys at Balch & Bingham, and the executives at Drummond. Dr. Brinson called it “Alabama’s Watergate’” and said that both of the officers at Balch & Bingham and at Drummond were advisors to Luther Strange.
The Alabama Political Reporter asked, If Oliver Robinson has implicated Luther Strange in the corruption investigation, should the US Attorneys to announce that Strange is a person of interest in that investigation before the primary on August 15?
Brinson said, “Yes I would hope that they would.”
Brinson told reporters that there is no way to poll this election, a special election with only 20 to 25 percent of the public participating. Brinson said that they have identified over 100,000 voters they have an email relationship with and they will be activating those voters and others they have identified that support his candidacy.
Brinson is a physician, an Air Force veteran, a lay minister and a businessman from Montgomery.
The Special Major Party Primaries are on August 15, 2017.
