Nat Bates’ response to a constituent.

On Jan 29, 2013, at 11:39 AM, lizgarland@comcast.net wrote:

Nat,

Do you think there will be a special election or will Jim Rogers vote with the RPA group?  Is there any way to convince him to do what the people of
Richmond voted for, a non-RPA member on the council?

Thanks, 

Liz Garland

Dear Liz,

Thank you for your email inquiry regarding the council replacement for Gary. At this time, it is difficult to understand what directions this council will take.  Tom Butt has three solid votes in McLaughlin, Beckles and himself with Rogers straddling the fence. Butt has as his priority candidate, Martinez as does McLaughlin and Beckles. It is hard for me to believe they will abandon their number one choice in Martinez. Should Martinez fail to garner the necessary four votes, look for them to go down their list of remaining RPA members like Langlois, Soto, and others. Butt's agenda is clear and that is to appoint a candidate he hopes to have influence over that will give him the controlling power on the council without depending on fence straddling Rogers.

To my knowledge, Rogers does not appear to have a special candidate but has been threaten by the RPA members like Soto and other radicals in the group to support Martinez or else. I was informed several RPA members recently visited Rogers at his home a few weeks ago and threaten to do anything and everything in their power to defeat him in 2014 if he did not vote for Martinez. You have to give those RPA's their props when they to go to that extreme in support of their candidates. I would have personally and immediately thrown all of them out of my house into the streets onto their derriere or fannies and told them exactly where to go, like to HELL. 

In all fairness, I must state Rogers have also been pressured by leaders representing the business community, labor union, as well as a united group of Black community leaders and organizations led by BAPAC, BWOPA, BMW and others encouraging him not to vote for any RPA candidate.  Rogers has had his ears burning with demands from all corners. With respect to what pressure I have received, I find it interesting I have had little if any request to vote for Martinez. Once RPA members understand that under no circumstances would I support any RPA candidate or sympathizer, they tended to leave me alone and concentrate on those they think they can intimidate into voting for their candidates.

Should Tom or anyone present a non RPA candidate that will be sensitive to the business community and share many of Gary's philosophies of governing, I would be amenable to considering such a candidate. Without this occurring, I will be voting to place the replacement on the ballot. Thanks for your email and I trust I have answered your concerns. Please feel free to contact me at any time in the future should the situation arise and as always, I will always try to be as honest and forthright as possible.