Alabama Senate debate cancelled after Hoover Tactical owner bars candidates from attacking Shelby
A debate for U.S. Senate candidates held by the Rainy Day Patriots was canceled. (Howard Koplowitz)
A scheduled debate between Republican U.S. Senate candidates descended into chaos and was abruptly cancelled Thursday night at Hoover Tactical after the establishment's owner, a self-described "strong supporter" of U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, said the candidates could not speak ill of the sitting senator because he had a prior commitment and couldn't defend himself from attacks.
Gene Smith, the owner, also questioned the validity of the arrangement between the Rainy Day Patriots, a tea party group that organized the debate, and Hoover Tactical for its meetings. He claimed the debate did not fall under the arrangement for "regular meetings" held at the business, and that the Rainy Day Patriots "never booked" the debate. The tea party group disputed Smith's claims, including a member who said the Rainy Day Patriots used the space for debates before.
"Tonight's gathering was never booked with Hoover Tactical. We found out about it yesterday because someone inquired," Smith said before the debate was about to start. "I am a strong supporter of Sen. Shelby, but that does not mean that we would not have allowed a contract to use this room. Because he's not here to defend himself, no negative statements will be made about Richard Shelby."
"Does that apply to his commercials against me, sir?" asked former Marine Capt. Jonathan McConnell, referencing negative ads Shelby is airing against him. McConnell's campaign manager, Rick Renshaw, said the campaign would be leaving the debate because McConnell and another challenger, former Army Ranger John Martin, didn't serve in the military to have their First Amendment rights infringed upon. Smith, who ordered the media not to record his statement, then canceled the debate and asked everyone to leave.
The debate had been in the works for about a week and was posted to Facebook on Sunday. Shelby's campaign said the senator had a longstanding commitment to speak in Bay Minette and could not attend the debate. They said the campaign was not involved in influencing Smith or silencing the forum.
A Rainy Day Patriots member who only wanted to be identified as Steve said the group had been using a room in Hoover Tactical for "at least every month for a couple of years," including candidate debates. He said the incident left a bad taste in his mouth.
"I won't patronize this business anymore," he said after the debacle.
Lee Davis, one of the planned moderators, said the debate was set up to allow the candidates to talk about their positions, and that the debate wasn't set up for the other candidates to sling mud.
"Not one single question even mentioned Sen. Shelby by name," he said.
The four candidates who showed up – McConnell, Martin, former state Sen. Shadrack McGill and Marcus Bowman – said the stipulation about no negative attacks against Shelby was made at the last minute.
"This is Richard Shelby and his thugs basically being a part of the Nazi Gestapo," McConnell said, calling the rule "insane." "It speaks to the cowardice of Richard Shelby."
Martin, McGill and Bowman all said that McConnell's actions were partly to blame for the debate being cancelled.
"They had as much to do with it as the owner in cancelling this event. McConnell can't help himself. It's all about attack, attack, attack," Bowman said. "They can't handle having a conversation about issues that doesn't involve attacks about Shelby."
McConnell campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth BeShears said the other candidates' sentiments were "an absolutely ridiculous assertion."
"It was one of Shelby's cronies who shut it down. Every one of those gentlemen are in this race because they believe it's time for Richard Shelby to retire," she said. "Asking the candidates not to even speak his name is outrageous. This debate has been scheduled for over a week, and Mr. Smith had plenty of time to ask us to meet somewhere else. Instead, he waited until the last minute, then decided to act as Shelby's surrogate and shut down the debate."
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