Alabama Democratic Party

State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham says that “the issue of immigration reform is too volatile and complex to leave campaign contributors and those profiting from non-citizen labor in charge of the process.” Two prominent Republicans and four Democrats were appointed to the commission by Democratic Lt. Governor Jim Folsom and House Speaker Rep. Seth Hammett (D-Andalusia). These legislators have taken the lead in their respective caucuses on immigration reform. They criticized the pro-industry bias of the panel during their first meeting. In fact, the JPIC chairman was steering the commission away from holding public hearings until another commission member, Sen. Roger Bedford (D-Russellville), opposed the move.

Attached to this release is documentation on the political connections and vested special interests of these appointees that call into question their objectivity on this issue.

“It is time for Alabama to have a real public policy debate on immigration and Governor Riley needs to lead this debate in a way that is not biased nor slanted towards vested special interests and undocumented workers” says Turnham.

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Joint Patriotic Immigration Commission

Gov. Riley clearly stacked the Joint Patriotic Immigration Commission with business interests with dubious commitment to immigration policy reforms.  Almost all of his selections are captains of industries that have, in fact, been outspoken in their opposition to meaningful immigration reforms, nationally and at the state level.
 
Riley's picks for the JPIC panel include:
 
• Committee Chairman Jay Reed. Reed is the vice chair of the Alabama Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.
• Ricky Walker of Holly Pond, head of Tyson Foods Inc. in Alabama, and immediate past president and Board member of the Poultry & Egg Association
• Bill Cotter of Enterprise. Cotter runs the Billy Cotter Construction Co., a residential and commercial building outfit.
• James E. (Jed) Downs of Dothan, President of Qualico Steel company
• Ronnie Mobley of Delmar, a cattle rancher and chair of the ALFA Women’s Committee 
 
It’s notable that Riley’s selections to the panel have, individually and through organizations they represent, given hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to Riley over the years. Since 2005, Riley has taken more than $390,000 from the organizations he placed on the JPIC panel, and their lobbyists.
 
But their position on immigration reforms is clear, as well. Five of Riley’s seven picks belong to industries that formed a lobbying group that is fiercely opposed to meaningful immigration reforms. Basically, they stand the most to gain from the status quo.

Consider:

• "I'm disappointed in the way it's going," said [State Senator Scott] Beason. "I don't stand to gain financially, but there are a bunch of members (of the commission) who stand to gain financially by maintaining the status quo." [Huntsville Times. “Charges Bog Immigration Commission” September 24, 2007]

Jay Reed’s Associated Builders & Contractors and Walker’s Alabama Poultry & Egg Association spearheaded formation of the Alabama Employers for Immigration Reform group.
 
This coalition of construction companies and poultry farmers was created to fight federal legislation that would impede their employment practices as they related to immigrant workers. Created in March of this year, the group promptly hired Bradley Arant Rose & White to lobby for it in Washington as Congress debated immigration bills.  [Birmingham News. "Businesses seek to change hiring laws Union leaders oppose immigration bill" May 24, 2007] 
 
Other coalition members include the AL Restaurant Association, the AL Hospitality Association, ALFA and the Alabama Road Builders Association.  [Birmingham News. "Businesses seek to change hiring laws Union leaders oppose immigration bill" May 24, 2007]  
 
• Under Reed, the Associated Builders & Contractors political organization – ABC/Merit PAC gave at least $215,500 to the Riley campaign in the 2006 election cycle. This does not count any PAC-to-PAC contributions that wound up in the Riley coffers.
 
• Bradley Arant Rose – lobbyists for the Alabama Employers for Immigration Reform group – gave Riley at least $50,000 in 2005 and 2006.  [Ala Fair Campaign Practices Report. Bob Riley 45-Day Report 11/7/2006. $25,000 from BARWPAC to Riley, 8/8/2006 and Bob Riley Annual Report 1/31/2006 $27,900,000]

Ricky Walker is complex manager at Tyson Foods Inc.’s Albertville plant. Tyson’s record on use of illegal immigrant labor is stunning.
 
• Under Walker as President and now member of the Board of Directors, the Poultry & Egg Association gave at least $107,400 to the Riley campaign in 2006 cycle.  [Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act Reports. Contributions from AG PAC to Riley. Annual Report 1/31/2006: $5,000 to Riley on 12/21/05; 10 Day Report, 6/6/3006, $25,000 from Alabama Poultry Trust to Riley and $500 from Poultry & Egg Association to Riley on 5/4/06; 45-Day Report 11/7/2006. AGPAC to Riley, $9,900 on 9/19/06; 45-Day Report, $39,000 from AGPAC to Riley on 9/22/06; Annual Report 1/31/2007. $28,000 from AGPAC to Riley on 11/1/06]
 
• In 2001, Tyson was charged with conspiracy to smuggle undocumented workers into the U.S. to work on its production lines. Tyson plant managers arranged for delivery of illegal workers with undercover immigration officials. Prosecutors alleged that the conspiracy to import workers dates back to 1994 when plant managers began to find it difficult to fill positions with legal workers. Of the six managers who were indicted, two accepted plea bargain deals, and one committed suicide one month after being charged.  [CBS News "Tyson says top bosses didn't know: Claim Made As Firm And Execs Are Tried On Smuggling Charges" See:  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/05/national/main539521.shtml 2/7/2003]
 
• In October 2006, a federal judge granted class-action status to a lawsuit brought by Tyson employees who allege that Tyson's practice of hiring illegal immigrants depresses wages by up to 30%. The suit also contends the company violated federal racketeering laws by conspiring with National Council of La Raza and League of United Latin American Countries not to question the employment applications of anyone with a Hispanic surname. The suit is set to go to trial in Tennessee in March 2008.   [MarketWatch. "Tyson Foods illegal hiring lawsuit set for March 2008 trial" 1/29/2007  See: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/tyson-foods-illegal-hiring-lawsuit/story.aspx?guid=%7B624A31DE-832D-4EEA-A6FE-B979EC2C859F%7D ] 

Billy G. Cotter of Billy Cotter Construction gave Riley at least $5,000 in November 2006.  [Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act Report 45-Day Report. $5,000 from Cotter to Riley on 11/31/2006]

James E. (Jed) Downs, president of Qualico Steel in Dothan. The company’s CEO and owner, John Downs gave $10,000 to Riley last year. [Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act Report 45-Day Report. $5,000 from Downs to Riley on 11/31/2006; and Annual Report 1/31/2007. $5,000 from Downs to Riley on 11/10/2006]