Beth Chapman (politician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Beth Chapman | |
 (Photo courtesy Office of the Secretary of State) |
|
|
51st Alabama Secretary of State
|
|
| In office 2007 – Present |
|
| Preceded by | Nancy Worley (D) |
|---|---|
|
38th Alabama State Auditor
|
|
| In office 2003 – 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Susan Parker (D) |
| Succeeded by | Samantha Shaw (R) |
|
|
|
| Born | April 6 1962  Greenville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | James Chapman |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Hoover, Alabama & Montgomery, Alabama |
Beth Killough Chapman (born 1962). is an American politician from Alabama. A member of the Republican Party, she is currently the state's 51st Secretary of State.
Beth Killough was born in Greenville, Alabama. Following graduation from high school, she earned a B.S. from the University of Montevallo, and a Master's degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 1988, she married James Chapman, with whom she has two sons, Winston Taylor Chapman, named in honor of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and William Thatcher Chapman, named in honor of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The family currently lives in Hoover, Alabama. Chapman also maintains a residence in Montgomery, Alabama
From 1995 to 1996, she served as Appointments Secretary in the Cabinet of Governor Fob James, becoming the first woman to serve in that post. Following a stint in the private sector, she served as Press Secretary for Lieutenant Governor Steve Windom from 2000 to 2001. During the 2000 presidential election, she served as a delegate pledged to George W. Bush at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, and as a member of Alabama's delegation to the Electoral College later that year.
Resigning from Lt. Governor Windom's staff in November, 2001, she entered the 2002 race for State Auditor, scoring an upset victory in the Republican primary, before goining on to win the general election, capturing a seat previously held by Democrat Susan Parker. She served as State Auditor from 2003 to 2007. She was elected as Secretary of State in November, 2006, defeating incumbent Nancy Worley by a margin of 57-43%.[1] She assumed that office in January, 2007. Chapman has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Governor of Alabama in the 2010 election.[2]
In early 2008, Chapman became the subject of attacks by Mark Montiel, a Republican former judge.[3] Montiel sought to have the Alabama Ethics Commission and the Attorney General review tens of thousands of dollars paid by Chapman's 2006 campaign to her husband and sons. Attorney General Troy King, a fellow Republican, announced the complaint against Chapman does not appear to raise any violations of the law. He also wrote that state law does not prohibit a candidate from hiring family members to work in a campaign.[4] The Ethics Commission investigation remains ongoing.[5]
In May 2008, Chapman again made headlines when an Associated Press story revealed that Chapman's personal consulting firm is paid nearly $50,000 annually by a private charity that receives funding from the state government.[6] Democratic critics attacked Chapman, and Alabama Republicans generally, for engaging in such deals while attacking Democratic legislators holding state jobs. Chapman denied wrongdoing, and stated that the charity's funds paid to her firm come from fundraising, not its state grants. The Birmingham News, which had endorsed Chapman in her 2006 campaign,[7] rejected these arguments and sharply criticized her over the issue.[8]
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Alabama Secretary of State Certificate of Election: General Election 2006
- ^ "Democrats Can’t Start a Fire Without a Sparks," Roll Call, May 15, 2007
- ^ "Former Judge Seeks Probe," Mobile Press-Register, March 18, 2008, p. B2
- ^ Alabama AG Says Complaint against Secretary of State Unsupported
- ^ "Ethics Commission Looks at Complaint," Mobile Press-Register, March 21, 2008, p. B2
- ^ "Double Dipping Controversy: Alabama Secretary of State Does Paid Charity Work," Mobile Press-Register, May 15, 2008, p. B2
- ^ "Our Recommendations," The Birmingham News, November 5, 2006, p. 2D
- ^ "Beth Chapman's Moonlighting," The Birmingham News, May 19, 2008, p. 4A
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Nancy Worley |
Alabama Secretary of State 2007–Present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
