A Black Man Was Elected Mayor in Rural Alabama, but the White Town Leaders Won’t Let Him Serve
A Black Man Was Elected Mayor in Rural Alabama, but the White Town Leaders Won’t Let Him Serve
For three years, Patrick Braxton says he has experienced harassment and intimidation after becoming the first Black mayor in Newbern, Alabama.
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but he's the mayor, wouldn't he have legal jurisdiction do serve anyway? up to and including arresting those that try to stop him?
The previous administration is still running the town, so how is Braxton going to arrest them when they control the police force?
He became mayor because he was the only one to qualify for election in 2020, because the incumbent declined to submit paperwork (because they weren't planning to actually hold an election; the last proper mayoral election was at least 60 years ago, according to the article). The city council responded by holding an unannounced (and probably illegal) special election to re-elect the previous mayor, which no one knew about so Braxton couldn't apply for it. So the previous mayor has simply continued doing the job, with the backing of the council and all his officials. That's why Braxton is bringing a lawsuit against them.
presumably the mayor will win the lawsuit, the other guy has no case.