L-R are Scott Muhammad, local youth, Spiver W. Gordon, Lorenzo French, John Zippert and Yasmeen Amerson

Spiver Gordon, President of the local SCLC Chapter and other Greene County community leaders including Hattie Edwards, Mayor Pro-tem of Eutaw, Lorenzo French, Scott Muhammad and John Zippert held a press conference Friday at the Courthouse to call for the resignation of Senator Scott Beason after he made racist remarks about the Black voters in Greene County.

Sen. Beason of Gardendale, who is a leader of the Republican majority in the Alabama State Senate,  wore a wire to record conversations with other legislators as part of a Federal probe of corruption and vote buying related to electronic bingo legislation in last year’s session.

Part of the recorded transcript has Beason saying negative things about Greene County voters including calling them ‘aborigines’ and  saying that casino owners will give free food and drinks to Greene County voters and then put them on a bus to vote for a referendum to allow electronic bingo in the county.

At the press conference, Gordon said he did not want to repeat Beason comments because that would give them more coverage and credibility. Gordon said, “ the Greene County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, civil rights  and political leaders are demanding that Scott Beason resign. We feel his statements that were recorded as part of an FBI probe are racist, mean-spirited and reprehensible.”

    Gordon went on to say, “ if Beason does not resign then the Republican Party should remove him. We are asking that Governor Robert Bentley, who professes to be a Christian and wants to change Alabama’s image, as Governor and leader of the Republican Party in Alabama speak out to have him removed for his shameful behavior.”

Lorenzo French, a local civil rights leader said, “ I do not think all the people of Gardendale have the same views as Senator Beason. His friends, neighbors and voters should ask him to resign since he does not represent their views.”

John Zippert, Co-Publisher of the Greene County Democrat said, “Because we have a high voter turnout in Greene County, 60 to 70% of registered voters come out for every election, rightwing politicians are always trying to attack and intimidate us in Greene County. Beason should resign and then come to Greene County and apologize on his knees and seek the forgiveness of Greene County citizens.”

Hattie Edwards, Eutaw City Councilmember and Mayor Pro-Tem said, “ We are going forward in Greene County. We are known for voting and we are not going to let ugly and degrading statements hold us back. Beason should go home so we can continue to go forward.”

At press time,  Beason had not resigned or apologized. He said he did not know why he said what he did about Greene County voters. The State Democratic Party and Black elected officials around the state have continued to call for him to resign.

The Tuscaloosa News in an editorial on Friday said that Beason  “had some explaining to do about his remarks” but fell short of calling for his resignation.

At the press conference when asked how he was going to continue pressuring Beason to resign, Gordon said, “ we may have to take a committee and picket signs and visit him at his home in Gardendale, to keep the pressure on him to resign.” Gordon also said he would write a letter to Bentley with hundreds of Greene County signatures urging him to take action to push Beason to resign for the betterment of the state.