Challenging Corruption and Patronage in Alabama

The People’s Tribune’s Cathy Talbott interviewed Kimberly McCuiston of Foley, Alabama, who is running on an environmental platform as an Independent with support from the Liberty Tree Foundation for the Alabama State Senate against Trip Pittman-R.
People’s Tribune: Why are you running for the Alabama Senate District 32 seat?
Kimberly McCuison: My goal is to stop the fossil fuel industry super majority of greedy legislators who control power in Alabama. The incumbent (Trip Pittman) is corrupt. When BP gave former governor Bob Riley $640,000 to prepare the coast for the oil onslaught, Pittman was a trustee of those funds and had ties to the contracting company that received the funds. Although the Ethics Commission cleared him of any wrongdoing, the fact that he sat on the commission reveals a conflict of interest.
PT: What are the issues in your campaign?
KM: There are twelve different fossil fuel projects around Mobile. I’m working with MEJAC (Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition) to stop expansion of a pipeline through historic Africatown, which is the oldest community founded by freed slaves. (See link for more on Africatown: http://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2013/alabama-community-founded-former-slaves-now-under-siege-tar-sands)  I am cofounder of Alabama Coast United (http://alabamashrimpfestival.com), an organization of the victims of the BP oil spill and toxic dispersants. We educate and advocate for environmental, economic and social justice. There are many sick people here and BP, along with their greedy politicians, has abdicated their responsibility to the people of this region. We now have Canadian tar sands coming in by rail and we tried to keep a pipeline from going through Big Creek Lake, the only approved source of drinking water for Mobile. I believe that clean water and air are basic human rights and anything less is a human rights violation!
Our state legislature wants to turn Alabama into the “Houston East,” with all the plans for pipelines and tar sands extraction in the northwestern areas of Alabama. Of course, these are some of the poorest counties in the U.S. and the people aren’t educated and do not understand what is at stake. I’m not only running to help protect my home district but to help all of those in Alabama. I want to see green energy and technology jobs for Baldwin County and all of Alabama.
I also want to see Medicaid expanded and fully funded in Alabama. There are 300,000 residents who cannot get health insurance. I also oppose the Alabama Accountability Act, which former governor Bob Riley’s lobbying company promoted. (see: http://alreporter.com/archives/2012-september/146-state/6203-riley-sgo-advertises-private-school-scholarships-in-non-failing-districts.html) It decides which schools are failing and skims $20,000,000 from the general education fund for vouchers.
PT: What is your vision for the future?
KM: The bottom line is we’re going to need a revolution.  I want to see Alabama move forward to a sustainable and secure fossil fuel free future for our children and grandchildren.
PT: How can readers follow your campaign and get in touch with you?
KM: Follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimberlyMcCuistonforalabamasenatedistrict32.
Anyone can call me at 251-279-7769.