Jack Porter Turns to Scott Maddox for Election “Help”… Again

On Friday, City Commissioner Jack Porter sent a campaign text message referencing former City Commissioner Scott Maddox and the “corruption era” in an effort to appeal to Republican voters.

Ironically, Porter sought Maddox’s counsel – after he was indicted on corruption charges – during her first 2020 campaign for the city commission, which she eventually won.

The text message comes just before the biggest weekend of early voting and days before the August 20 election.

The Campaign Message

In the text message Porter states, “yes it’s true, all the candidates in our race are Democrats.”

Porter then states “I’ve championed ethics reforms that would turn the page from the Scott Maddox corruption era for good…”

However, in 2020 it was reported that the days before Porter won her first election, she “took an unusual meeting with a rather unexpected person”, Scott Maddox.

Maddox was indicted in late 2018, and later pleaded guilty to federal charges. He was replaced on the commission by Elaine Bryant, whom Porter defeated in the 2020 primary.

When approached in 2020 about the meeting, Porter declined to say when or where she chatted with Maddox or what they discussed. In addition to Maddox, she said she also met with other officials.

“I met with everyone because their perspectives matter to the process and to governing,” she said.

In the campaign text message sent to Republicans, Porter also referenced her vote against a recent property tax increase that was used to fund law enforcement.

The message is seen by most as an attempt to promote a fiscal conservative narrative to Republican voters.

After the vote in 2023, Porter told WCTV, “There is so much that we know that is leading to that increase in crime and I don’t believe the police budget, or the police are equipped to handle in the best way. I think alternatives would be investing in our housing, investing in our social services, investing in mental health services.”