She was once his baby sitter could and now potentially become his political nightmare.
Sharon Carpenter, the former recorder of deeds and chairwoman of the once-powerful Democratic Central Committee, resigned in disgrace. She used her office to hire family members and gave thousands of dollars in no-bid contracts to political cronies. This would have been enough for the Post-Dispatch and other mainstream media to boil black elected officials in ink and report stories on our families and friends for months.
Carpenter heard the footsteps of serious nepotism charges closing in on her and resigned before she was ousted. Were it not for Ed McFowland, son of deceased former alderwoman Daisy McFowland, this major political snafu would have never seen the light of day. The Post was forced to report it only after she resigned. White people across the city have ignored it and treated it as if she has been charged with littering.
But for those of us who possess the institutional memory and have inside knowledge of the political landscape, there is much, much more. Carpenter’s actions have sent shock waves throughout the political community.
She was not only the mayor’s babysitter; she was the strongest and best political ally of his daddy, Francis R. Slay. As a matter of fact, the elder Slay was recorder of deeds before Sharon Carpenter and resigned in 1977 to make way for her. He was the committeeman of the 23rd Ward for 45 years and could always be counted to bring seven or eight South Side wards to the table to help get someone elected. However, the old man was inclusive and understood the importance of sharing, unlike present-day officeholders.
The elder Slay was the dean of South Side Democrats, and over the years he lifted Carpenter up and she became the South Side Queen Bee. She was eventually selected to chair the Democratic Central Committee, where she ruled with authority.  Â
Unfortunately, Carpenter did not embrace politically and racially inclusive politics. She stood in the school house door against busing and never wanted to support black people for political office.
In 1977, when the late John Bass was running for reelection as this city’s first black comptroller, North and South Side leaders put a deal together to support Bass. The white wards even took money from the black leaders to pay for workers and put people on the polls on election day.
But Carpenter led a faction that refused to support Bass and they backed out of the deal. They gave the money back and supported a white candidate named Raymond Percich. Bass lost the election. The black community was infuriated and to this day still refers to the incident as the Dirty Double Cross.
When I was elected as the first African-American circuit clerk over staunch opposition from the South Side, Sharon Carpenter lost her mind. She was so outraged that she and many of the white wards refused to put my name on the green ballots that are handed out at the polls on election day.
When Carpenter was chairman of the Democratic Central Committee, I was vice chairman. It stayed that way for years. When she decided not to retain the seat, she refused to offer it to me, as is customarily done. Knowing that I would be the first African-American chairman, she tried to steer it to another South Sider. I was able to put together a coalition and win.
When Mayor Slay’s daddy wanted him to be president of the Board of Aldermen, the South Siders came to Virvus Jones and me. I was the mayor and Virvus was comptroller. The South Siders promised to support us in our reelection bids if we helped Slay win. We all shook hands. Â Congressman Bill Clay warned us to beware of the Dirty Double Cross, but the elder Slay assured us that they would keep their word.
Sharon Carpenter fell out in the middle of the street again. She refused to support me and Virvus and was foaming at the political mouth. She was so outdone that she resigned her position as committeewoman of the 23rd Ward to work actively against the agreement. Â
With Francis R. Slay gone, a real political vacuum has been created in South Side leadership. The South Side dean is no longer around to help keep things together, and I wish he was. The mayor does not have the relationships that his father had. When you factor in Carpenter’s resignation for nepotism and handing out no-bid contracts, you have the beginnings of the perfect storm.
What people find alarming is Mayor Slay’s abandonment of Carpenter during her political time of need and the hasty appointment of 15th Ward Alderman Jennifer Florida as her replacement. His babysitter has always been there for him like a big sister and expected his support.
The mayor just got reelected, and the Post-Dispatch is in his back pocket. Appointing Florida so quickly is a political blunder. Now Florida will run as an independent in the November general election. The mayor’s actions are viewed as a real political betrayal.
The smart play here would have been to leave the position open and not appoint anyone. The new recorder will be sworn in on January 1, 2015. The office is on automatic pilot anyway, so no real harm done – it’s only 6 months.
The mayor is in unchartered political territory. If Carpenter is not reined in and goes off the reservation, we could experience some open political conflict. You’re too near me not to hear me.
