Maida Coleman: Democrats “raping us for our votes”
Coleman
ST. LOUIS — Mayoral hopeful Maida Coleman told the St. Louis American that Democrats are “raping us” for votes.
As a state senator, Coleman was the Democratic floor leader, making her one of the party’s highest ranking officials in Jefferson City.
But Coleman, whose term expired in January, filed papers last month to run for mayor of St. Louis as a non-partisan candidate.
“We have been going along, expecting for the Democrats to change something,” Coleman said in this week’s American. “I am tired of the Democrats raping us for our votes.”
Coleman made the comment in a meeting with the American’s editorial boarding, according to the paper’s editorial director, Chris King.
In an interview Thursday with the Post-Dispatch, Coleman said her use of “raping” was not meant to be anti-woman: “People understand that word is used in a variety of different types of scenarios.”
“I’ve supported, worked for and raised money for good Democrats my entire life, and will continue to,” Coleman said. “But my comments were based on what’s happening here, right now.”
Coleman was poised to enter the Democratic municipal primary, but backed out at the last minute after a similar-named candidate — Denise Watson-Wesley Coleman — joined the race on the last day.
Maida Coleman has accused Mayor Francis Slay of putting the other Coleman in the race as a ploy to confuse voters, a charge he has repeatedly denied.
Either way, Slay, who handily won Tuesday’s primary, will face Coleman in the April 7 general election.
Coleman says her “raping” comment was directed at the party’s city leadership — namely Brian Wahby, chair of the St. Louis Central Democratic Committee.
Wahby and Coleman — both residents of the city’s Seventh Ward — have had a public falling out as Coleman has left the party to pursue her independent bid.
Coleman says that her comments to the American came last week, after, she says, Wahby threatened her son, John Harrington.
Wahby, for his part, does not deny having a spirited conversation with Harrington at a Mardi Gras party. Harrington, Wahby recalls, said he hoped there was no hard feelings about his mother running for mayor.
“And I said, ‘John, yeah, there is hard feelings because it’s a waste of everybody’s time,” Wahby said.
Wahby also rebuked Coleman for her comment to the American.
“This is the most insensitive and silly and bizarre statement I’ve heard,” Wahby said. “Her entire political career has happened as a result of her being a part of the Democratic Party.”
I think the text means “falling out” instead of “following out” [Indeed, thanks for the catch -- JAKE]
Slay and his cast of idiots are a joke. All these jokers will rot in hell!
she sounds a bit off to me…i doubt highly the mayor would find someone else named coleman and force her to run just to confuse us voters. that alone makes me HAVE to vote for slay. i can’t vote for crazy people
Good for her! Any independent that stands up against the two-party system anywhere locally, at state level or federal level is a fan of mine!
The 25th Ward Alderman Primary race has made me decide to look again at my association with the term DEMOCRAT. I watched some nasty evil people play some major games and behind the scene negative tactics. Maybe Maida’s statement does hold some truth, and needs to be looked at closely.
She must not remember Billie Boykins.
Maida, now begins your march into obscurity.
Why doesnt some crack reporter ask her what the difference is between St Louis democrats and national democrats?
The answer is NOTHING! They both show up around election time and say all the good things they will do for blacks. For fifty years they have made the same promises, and for fifty years blacks continue to fall for it. Has the voting for democrats for fifty years paid off for blacks?
Maida sure has fallen – she was once a rising star in the party – now she attacks it. What a pitiful character – it is really sad to watch people’s failure and watch it in the public. She could have actually done something instead she is a sideshow. Its like that movie with Bette Davis, Whatever Happened to Sweet Baby Jane – Maida must be wondering why nobody pays attention to her. Fortunately, the Maida show’s run ends on April 7th –
I like Brian Wahby. Even people I like have the right to play the fool, and say stupid things. And whether Slay or someone else encouraged Ms. Watson-Welsley Coleman, the woman with more hyphens than ideas or votes, to get into the race, or she decided to sell out black people, poor people, and public school people on her own for the sake of the Establishment, by the time some as smart as St. Louis Oracle opined/predicted that her votes would be the difference between Slay winning and losing, then it’s clear her entry in the race may have been someone’s idea of insurance; tho I personally, didnt think the race would be that close and was proved right.
On the other hand, may have been God’s plan to have Maida run in general without perrenial 30 percenter Irene Smith in the way. Probably wont happen, but may be Maida’s best chance. I’m guessing Brian Wahby will be the first to call and congratulate her.