Dr. John Draper, lobbyist, failed State BOE candidate
Below: Sec. of State’s record of Channel One’s money
to Draper.
Dr. John Draper is an education lobbyist in Alabama. He ran for the State Board of Education in 2004. He ran against the incumbent, Stephanie Bell, who opposes Channel One’s presence in Alabama schools.
Draper supported a big tax increase in Alabama and Bell didn’t. Draper’s campaign was bankrolled by many who didn’t like Bell’s stand on the tax issue. Channel One was not an issue in the campaign, but, Channel One also wanted to replace Bell. They needed someone more understanding of Channel One’s needs.
Martin Christie is Channel One’s lobbyist in Alabama. Christie is a small-time lobbyist in Montgomery who operates under two names: Public Affairs Strategies and Christie Strategy Group. (christiestrategygroup.com)
Channel One gives him money to distribute around the state. He is a conduit for Channel One money to go to candidates who can help their TV show stay in Alabama classrooms. The reality is that tens of thousands of Alabama schoolchildren have been freed from the burdensome requirement of watching Channel One’s TV show. That has cost Channel One News hundreds of thousands of dollars. Channel One News is scared to death about the deterioration of viewership in Alabama. They need to spread their money around to maximize their chances of survival. That’s were Martin comes in.
Christie has to make tough decisions for Channel One. He doesn’t want to throw Channel One’s money away on someone who will not deliver for them. Alabamians have turned down Channel One’s money in the past. In 2000, a number of people were approached by Channel One to put their names on a pro-Channel One opinion article that they wanted to appear in Alabama newspapers. Channel One wrote the article but they wanted it to appear to be written by the name on the byline. Agree to put your name on the pro-Channel One article and you get $100. Easy money, but no takers. The general public in Alabama has a very negative opinion of Channel One News.
A few weeks ago it came to Obligation’s attention that Draper’s campaign received a total of $750 from Channel One’s lobbyist. This was shocking because Dr. Draper has to know Channel One’s money will haunt him if he ever tries to run for any future office. It might not matter to Draper. He may be done. Although he raised more money than his opponent, he was crushed in the Republican primary.
Draper has told Obligation that the money did not change his position on Channel One. He says he still “personally” does not like Channel One, but won’t impose his personal beliefs on local schools. In short, he has been neutralized on an issue that is of growing importance in public schools – the commercialization of classrooms.
We post this article for people around the country who may not be aware of Channel One’s contributions to state board members or legislators who can make a difference for their company. Channel One exists today only because of their lobbying efforts. The folks in Texas know how deep Channel One’s wallet can be when they are up against an informed and irate public.
Obligation’s Jim Metrock said, “Channel One’s money is made off the backs of middle and high school students. This company robs schoolchildren of time. There’s not many things in education that are lower than that. Channel One’s money has a certain stink to it. It doesn’t wash off. Citizens will know who to trust by the smell of their hands.”
