A war of words broke out Thursday between Gov. Kay Ivey and her Democratic opponent, Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox.
At issue: allegations from former state law enforcement secretary Spencer Collier. Collier claimed Ivey had a state trooper demoted, as part of a scheme to conceal details of a 2015 hospital stay for treatment of mini-strokes. "This is not about Gov. Ivey's health," said Maddox, speaking to reporters in Tuscaloosa. "This is about abuse of power. This is about a cover-up." Maddox called on Ivey to release all records pertaining to the hospital visit, which occurred during a trip to Colorado, when Ivey was lieutenant governor. Ivey said doctors diagnosed her with altitude sickness. Ivey's physician, Dr. Brian Elrod, said he examined her the next day, and saw no evidence of TIAs, and that all tests performed at the hospital came back negative.
The Ivey campaign fired back at Maddox, issuing the following statement:
"Apparently Walt Maddox isn’t just a liberal. He’s a lying liberal. The people of Alabama will see this for what it is – a desperate false attack from a shameless politician who will say or do anything to get elected.“The Governor and her doctor have repeatedly disputed these lies and provided detailed accounts to back it up. As it relates to the officer, that’s another Maddox whopper. News outlets reported last year that the officer actually received a promotion and raise in late 2015.”