Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed reportedly blasts Black voters in profanity-filled leaked audio
A series of audio recordings purportedly of Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed leaked on Sunday in which he peppered diatribes with profanity while referencing the Black vote, economic development and apathy toward Maxwell Gunther Air Force Base.
Reed’s office did not immediately respond to AL.com on whether it was Reed’s voice in the audio, and if it was, what the full context of the comments were.
All three recordings appear to be heavily edited.
Reed is expected to discuss the recordings tonight in an Instagram live video.
The first recording, called “Montgomery AL’s First Black Mayor Doesn’t Care About Black Votes,” was posted Sunday to a YouTube account labeled “Montgomery Deserves Better.”
In the leaked audio, Reed purportedly says that support from white voters is more important for his political survival — and that “white money” is key to Montgomery’s economy.
“I can come smile. I don’t f—— got to do no goddamn work. I don’t have to do no work systemically and I’m gonna be fine. And guess what? I will always get 38 to 45 percent of the white vote. If I get 30 to 45 percent of the white vote, I don’t f—— have to damn get the Black vote I got this past election and I’ll f—— win,” the mayor allegedly says.
“You got [a] Black city? That’s great. You can have all Black everything, that’s great. You can have all Black everything, and guess what? You won’t have green nothing if the white money thinks that you aren’t looking after their s— they will take their s— to Prattville, they will take their s— to Pike Road and you won’t have s—,” Reed allegedly says.
In the second recording, the mayor purportedly appears to say he doesn’t care about Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery because he doesn’t “know nobody there.” The recording and the third snippet were obtained by 1819, which first reported on the story. The outlet did not say who provided them with the clips.
“I’m not gonna tear up a single f—— conversation with the governor or lieutenant governor about Maxwell Gunther [Air Force Base], because guess what? I don’t know nobody who works in Maxwell Gunther except for the people I have to meet as a mayor. I don’t know nobody there, so if that s— is so important to y’all, then y’all better do some shit that’s important to me.
In the third piece of audio, Reed allegedly appears to say that staffers or residents shouldn’t criticize his TV appearances because it fosters investment to Montgomery.
“So what I’m gonna tell Karen when I meet with them — don’t ever f—– tell me that I’m on f—– TV. Every time I’m on f—– TV I get somebody from New York and L.A., they call me about how they can invest in goddamn Montgomery,” the mayor purportedly says.
Reed allegedly goes on to say that “the descendants of Confederate soldiers” won’t invest in “systemic change” in Montgomery.
“You think motherf—— gonna invest in Montgomery? You think I expect the descendants of Confederate soldiers f—– invest beyond what’s good for them? They give you some charity, they’ll give you some charity. … they do something a little nice over at Valiant Cross, where I’m on the board. But will they really invest in systemic change? Hell f—– nah, they’re not gonna invest in it. So don’t ever mix up what I’m doing . … you haven’t seen a scientist as diabolical as me because 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..,” the mayor allegedly says before the audio is abruptly cut off.
This article will be updated if and when Reed comments on the recordings.