The infighting among Alabama Democrats will be addressed by the national party starting next month.
The DNC on Wednesday announced it was setting hearing dates — beginning with an evidentiary hearing on Feb. 11 — for two complaints alleging wrongdoing in the Alabama Democratic Party’s election last November.
Longtime chairwoman Nancy Worley was re-elected, despite vocal and widespread opposition. Leading the charge against Worley were newly-elected Sen. Doug Jones and longtime party executive Peck Fox, who ran against Worley.
Worley’s leadership of the party has been sharply criticized by candidates and others. The party has failed to take advantage of a national “blue wave” that has led to record fundraising among Democrats in other states, and Democratic candidates, with the exception of Jefferson County, were mostly trounced in November’s election.
At the meeting in which Worley was re-elected, Jones spoke out against her, recounting the lack of support his campaign against Roy Moore received from the state party. Other candidates were just as vocal against Worley.
But with the help of her longtime ally, Alabama Democratic Conference chairman Joe Reed, Worley couldn’t lose. Reed used his influence and rules designed to ensure minority participation within the party, and hand-picked delegates who would vote for Worley.
The two official complaints about the election process claim that Reed and Worley also overstepped the rules, and one claims outright fraud. The complaints cite numerous rules violations, and claim, according to the Associated Press, that 190 votes were counted at the state meeting when only 142 delegates signed in.
“The complainants need to stop refighting the Civil War and focus on helping Democrats win elections,” Worley told AP.
Following the evidentiary hearing on the 11th, the DNC’s credentials committee will hold a hearing on the complaints on Feb. 14. Following that hearing, the committee will make a recommendation to the DNC.
