ADP chair issues retraction, ends fundraising spat with former senator

As it turns out, the chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party did have something to retract. 

ADP chairman Randy Kelley on Friday issued a retraction of statements he made earlier in the week, when he sent a letter to ADP members accusing former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones of sending deceptive fundraising emails. Jones had threatened legal action over the comments. 

But on Friday, a new letter was sent by Kelley. This one took a decidedly different tone. 

“Through his counsel, former Senator Jones has requested a full and fair retraction, which, after further review and consideration of the matter, I hereby provide,” Kelley’s letter read. “Former Senator Jones is not now raising any money on behalf of or in the name of the Alabama Democratic Party. He is not raising, and has not raised during my tenure as Chair, money on behalf of or in the name of the party, but devoted to other purposes.”

Kelley’s letter should bring to a close the latest in the long running feud between Jones and current party leadership, led by Kelley and Joe Reed, vice chair of the party’s minority caucus. The two sides have been at odds since a 2019 takeover of the party led by Jones and national party officials resulted in new ADP bylaws and decreased power held by Reed. 

The most recent dust-up began when Kelley issued a letter to ADP members stating that Jones, and perhaps others, was deceptively raising money by sending fundraising emails that led people to believe that they were donating to ADP. Kelley said he came to this conclusion after a conversation with a Huntsville-area minister who had been giving money to what he believed was ADP, but was in fact to a political action committee affiliated with Jones. 

Such PACs are common in today’s political world, and Jones’ fundraising emails viewed by APR all contained obvious disclaimers stating they were not affiliated with the party. Additionally, two other emails that Kelley provided APR were simply newsletters written by Jones for the website Substack, and each contained a link at the bottom asking readers to donate to the Substack. 

Kelley’s letter prompted a response from Jones’ attorney, Barry Ragsdale, who demanded a full retraction within five days. Kelley initially responded to the demand by telling APR that he wasn’t “going to retract nothing.”