Montgomery mayor recorded in profanity-laced audio about voters, investments

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Profanity-laced audio recordings purported to be of Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed have been released on various social sites in which the mayor discusses the Black vote, white investment in the city, and Maxwell Gunter Air Force Base.

The recordings were uploaded to several social sites, including Facebook and YouTube, by a group calling itself “Montgomery Deserves Better.”

It is unclear when the audio was recorded or by whom, what potential editing has been made to them, or in what context the recordings were made. The exact individuals behind the publication have not come forward.

In the first audio clip, the mayor can be heard saying the following:

Audio purported to be Montgomery’s first Black Mayor is released on social media by a group called “Montgomery Deserves Better.”

In the second audio clip, the mayor can be heard saying the following:

Audio purported to be Montgomery’s first Black Mayor is released on social media by a group called “Montgomery Deserves Better.”

In the third audio clip, the mayor can be heard saying the following:

“So what I’m going to tell Karen when I meet with them? Don’t ever [expletive] tell me that I’m on [expletive] TV. Every time I’m on [expletive] TV I get somebody from New York or LA calling me about how can their invest in [expletive] Montgomery. You think [expletive] round here gone invest in Montgomery? You think, I expect descendants of Confederate soldiers [expletive] invest in Montgomery. Beyond what’s good for them. Now they give you some charity. They give you some charity. Okay. they’ll do that. That’s nice. Okay. They’ll do some little nice over here at Valiant Cross where I’m on board. But ah they will really invest in systemic chance [expletive], [expletive] nah they’re not gone invest in it. So don’t ever mix up what I’m doing there. There is a… you haven’t.. you haven’t seen a scientist as diabolical as me cause no one has come into this with what I have I got 45 years of being my dad’s son who was sitting in at 19.”

Audio purported to be Montgomery’s first Black Mayor is released on social media by a group called “Montgomery Deserves Better.”

In response to a question for comment on the audio, the mayor’s office said city offices were closed Monday for the Presidents Day holiday.

“I have received many inquiries from constituents regarding the tapes released last night. Community members are rightfully concerned by several of the comments allegedly offered by Mayor Reed in the recordings in question,” District 7 Montgomery City Councilman Clay McInnis said. “In the interest of maintaining the public trust, I strongly urge our Mayor and his office to offer a swift and direct explanation regarding this development.”

Reed, who is currently in his first term as Montgomery’s first Black mayor, was sworn into office in 2019 after winning more than 67% of the vote.

Reed had previously made history as Montgomery County’s first Black probate judge, as well as its youngest, in 2012. He went on to win an unopposed re-election to the office in 2018 before setting his sights on city hall.

The release of the audio comes just months before Montgomery residents will go to the polls to elect their choices for the city’s next mayor and city council members.

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