Walt Maddox (D) accused Kay Ivey and members of her Lieutenant Governor’s staff of having used private email accounts.
Maddox claimed that according to records currently housed in the state archives, then Lt. Governor Ivey and members of her staff were using private email accounts on a regular basis and, in some cases, using those unofficial accounts to conduct state business.
“The discovery that Kay Ivey’s staff used private email servers during a period of time when there are so many questions about what actually occurred in Colorado in 2015, is disturbing,” Maddox said. “These private email servers are not available to be searched when a public records request is made, and that should be very troubling to the every Alabamian who wants open, honest government. This continues an unacceptable pattern of secrecy and non disclosure by Kay Ivey. Accordingly, In addition to the questions I requested Governor Ivey answer regarding allegations of misuse of law enforcement and potential cover-up, she should immediately, in the interest of full disclosure, take immediate steps to release all email records for the following accounts: kayellenivey@gmail.com, spelham57@mac.com, spelham@me.com, elizdowe@gmail.com, ltgkayivey@charter.net, and unidentified account ‘Susan Anthony’.”
While Ivey was Lt. Governor, the state implemented the failed STAARS software system that in many cases left systems virtually inoperable. Many people in state government were using private email accounts to avoid the troubled state system. STAARS has since been discontinued. In the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while U.S. Secretary of State was raised as a political issue by Republicans because they contend that she jeopardized American intelligence assets and special operations. The state of Alabama does not do special operations missions or have a spy network to protect.
At a news conference last week, Walt Maddox raised questions about a brief illness that Ivey had while she was traveling on state business in Colorado three years ago.
Maddox is running for governor in one of the reddest states in the entire country. He is running against the third most popular governor in the entire country. On Friday, Ivey announced another record high employment report. Wages are soaring. Ivey has announced thousands of new jobs including: a new Mazda – Toyota assembly plant, a new Blue Origin rocket engine plant, and an Amazon distribution center. Maddox has been running on: expanding Medicaid, raising fuel taxes 12 cents a gallon, an agreement with the Poarch Creek Indians and a lottery while claiming to be a pro-life, pro-gun Democrat. It has not been working. Kay Ivey is up by as much as 20 points in recent polling and appears to be cruising to an easy victory, so the Maddox campaign is trying to go negative with allegations and speculation about conspiracy theories with just two weeks left to try to overtake the popular woman governor.
Maddox is the Mayor of Tuscaloosa. He is a former Alabama Education Association (AEA) Uniserve director.
The Ivey campaign has been emphasizing job growth, the economy and Ivey’s efforts to increase pre-K classrooms and computer science classes.
Ivey is a former treasurer, a former Lt. Gov, and was elevated to governor in April 2017.
The general election will be held on November 6.
Remember to bring a valid photo ID to the polls.
