A Montgomery community activist said Monday he did not tape or leak recordings of comments made by Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed on Sunday.

The audio included remarks in which the mayor peppered candid observations on the Black vote, economic development and apathy toward Maxwell Gunther Air Force Base with profanity.

Charles Lee, in an hourlong Facebook Live from Monday night, prayed for Reed and said he would not do any interviews other than with WSFA because it was a local news source.

“I’m going back to my community, and serve my community,” he said. “I’m going to turn my phone off.”

Lee, the owner of the youth nonprofit That’s My Child, told the station he was in the room when Reed made the comments to a group of community activists following the death of George Floyd.

The discussion dealt with keeping peace in the city during the summer’s protests.

In speaking to the station, Lee said he did not record the audio and did not say who was responsible.

Lee seemed to imply more audio would be released, but that everyone involved in the meeting made a pact to not release it until they all agreed.

“You keep fighting us,” Lee said.

“You keep fighting the people that’s been trying to help you. So long, that’s it. People going to hear all the stuff on the tape.

“And I’m sure it’s going to all come out someday or whatever, but at the end of the day I know I’m going to be on the right side of it, fighting for the community where I’ve always done. And when people hear the rest of it, they’re going to see that I’ve always been fighting for this community.”

“When the tapes do come out … everybody in that room except our first Black mayor was fighting for the Black community,” Lee said. “It’s unfortunate we have to fight with our first Black mayor to help (the) Black community.”

In a statement issued Monday night, Reed said the audio “features carefully selected sound bites of my voice” and was surreptitiously recorded three years ago.

Reed claimed the recording was part of an extortion attempt against him. He is expected to address the controversy at a press conference this morning.

“The meeting with this community member was prompted by our concerns about civil unrest in the immediate aftermath of the death of George Floyd. During this meeting, it became abundantly clear to me that this individual sought personal financial gain during a time of crisis in our city, state, and country. You have my word that no one in my administration will ever give in to a shakedown or extortion,” Reed continued.

In his Facebook comments, Lee said he knew Reed’s comments were being recorded when the meeting took place, and knew they would eventually be leaked.

However, he said he did not leak them. “Why would I want to destroy the Black mayor? I fought hard to get you there,” he said. “I’m a 100% for you.”

He did not blame Reed for using profanity. “We men, we get emotional. Everybody in the room, including me, have curse words because you passionate about your community,” he said.

Lee said the mayor had provided funding to white-led nonprofits and not Black-led groups as city homicide rates rose.

“He don’t care about no Black vote. As long as he gets that white vote, he’s straight. And that’s why kids dying,” Lee said.

“This is not personal, sir. I do not know you. We have never met before except for those conversations. In fact, I’ve been protecting. I’m the reason this tape hasn’t been leaked.”

Lee said he was escorted from a recent community meeting with Reed because he was identified as a “security threat.” But he said he has no personal feelings against Reed. He only wants someone to combat violence around the city.

“I don’t wish you no harm,” Lee said, as though speaking to Reed. “There’s people all around you, in every department that you run in, because of the way you do them, they leaking all kind of stuff. And these boys are trying to take you to jail. I don’t want no Black man going to jail.”

In 2021, Lee staged a Facebook Live showing himself covered in what looked to be blood calling for help after being “shot.”

He later explained that it was a “call out for help” a way to get prospective mentors’ attention, according to Alabama News Network.