State Senator Maida Coleman, who delivered to Shrewsbury a prized but apparently not very valuable black political official’s endorsement. Most observers consider her lagging political career now all but dead.
Alderwoman Phyllis Young, a Shrewsbury girl, who openly informed her colleagues that if Reed won, she would resign. When is that special election, BOE?
U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, who touted Reed at an MLK rally but refused to endorse him openly. Rumor has it Clay was even seriously considering endorsing Shrewsbury until Earl Wilson told him rather pointedly and truthfully, “He can’t bring you any black votes, and he can’t bring you any white votes.”
Treasurer Larry Williams and Comptroller Darlene Green, who placed loyalty to a fellow citywide incumbent over their own base and never endorsed Reed despite consistent entreaties from the Reed campaign.
Mattie Moore, former state party vice chair, who refused to let Reed put
her name on his campaign materials because she “was still thinking about it” and was heard at a public meeting talking up Shrewsbury.
Committeeman Chink Washington, who once again put cash before aspirations of African-American political empowerment.
Alderman Bennice Jones King, who listened to the misguided words of cash-motivated Chink.
Another black alderman or two who publicly toed the Reed line but cut deals with Shrewsbury and even helped with his covertly racist push polls. Don’t worry, y’all, those who need to know all know who you are.
FIRE, the black firefighters’ organization, which overlooked Reed’s proven high regard for Fire Chief Sherman George and vocally backed Shrewsbury, who also has had Sherman’s back.
April Harris, erratic African-American Shrewsbury operative, who blogged his way to defeat.
19th Ward Committeeman Cecilia Grant, who bet on the wrong horse by selling out to Shrewsbury.
Irv Clay, who posed in the Shrewsbury TV commercial.
Harold Brown, who backed Pat Dougherty and Jeff Smith and finally Shrewsbury over strong black candidates, racking up a track record for taking the money and running.
Collector of Revenue Gregg F.X. Daly, who joined McMillan in talking about how uneven the city political playing field is for blacks, but refused to
endorse Reed.
Circuit Clerk Mario Fazzazza, who showed up on victory night after attempting to muddy the McMillan/Daly tag-team match last August.
Strategist Joyce Aboussie, who told some people the night before that the vote would go 60/40 in favor of Shrewsbury.
O.L. Shelton, who had a controversial opponent in Sam Moore (of “give me a hug, Dave Lenihan” fame) yet flat-out did not do his work and got whipped as a result. Buddying up to Maida hasn’t helped him either.
Come back next week for the straight dope on Bruce Gordon’s resignation from the national NAACP and a report on the Rosa Parks Initiative, which warned Pinnacle yesterday that its St. Louis project could experience acts of civil disobedience because it feels the company has “failed to take steps to achieve compliance with the mayor’s executive order of 25-percent and 5-percent minority and female inclusion, respectively.” In a letter to Pinnacle Chair and CEO Dan Lee, Eric Vickers of the Rosa Parks Minority Inclusion Alliance writes “30 days from today all construction work on the downtown St. Louis Pinnacle Casino Project will, through civil disobedience protest action, be shut down” if Pinnacle doesn’t get its act together on minority inclusion. Pinnacle’s Harry Moppins responded with a list of the ways Pinnacle is trying to reach the 25 and 5 goals, saying, “We have specifically reached out to the Minority Inclusion Alliance to help us identify additional qualified companies to work on the Lumière Place development, most recently at a January 2007 meeting with Mr. Eric Vickers. We look forward to hearing from them about what other tactics we can use to identify M/WBE firms that have not yet participated in Lumière Place.”
To see the entire Vickers letter and Moppins’ response, go to www.stlamerican.com.