Lucas in hot water over Gordon councilman 'slave' comment

A Macon-Bibb County commissioner with a history of insulting political rivals with racially-tinged barbs is drawing fire again.

A Facebook post by Commissioner Elaine Lucas that appears to refer to a longtime black Gordon city councilman as a "slave" has caused ripples in the Wilkinson County city. The online post on Lucas' personal Facebook page features photos of Councilman Freddie Densley at a Jan. 8 meeting at which the City Council voted to conduct further investigation into Gordon Mayor Mary Ann Whipple-Lue's email practices. Allegations recently have surfaced that the mayor, who also is black, violated the state's Open Records Act.

Lucas' post from the next day features several pictures with Densley in them, including a couple of him seated at the far end of a table.

The post says: "This slave on the end of the table is part of a conspiracy to mistreat Mayor Lue. Shame shame shame."

Lucas declined on Tuesday to comment about her Facebook post, and Densley did not return several messages left at his home by The Telegraph.

Although they aren't talking, others are.

Several Gordon residents, including Councilman Terry Eady, said many Gordon residents, including members of Densley's family, are upset by the "slave" reference.

"It's just reprehensible," said Eady, who is white.

Eady described Densley, a councilman since 1995 and a former assistant police chief, as a "fine, upstanding citizen."

"It hurts me to see someone try to say something about someone I think a lot about," Eady said.

The Gordon dust-up is the latest in a string of name-calling attacks involving Lucas.

In the 1990s, she made waves by referring to black Macon City Councilman Willie Hill as an "old Uncle Tom" when he and Lucas took different sides on an issue.

She also called former Councilman Jim Lee a "wimp" and "crybaby" when he refused to let her speak during a committee meeting. And in the mid-1990s she famously called former City Council President David Carter, who later became mayor, "an ignorant redneck."

As recently as a few years ago, Frank Ray, a regular at Macon City Council meetings, accused Lucas of calling him an "Uncle Tom" because he favored consolidating Macon and Bibb County. Lucas opposed the merger.

Gordon resident Alicia Floyd said the recent shot at Densley is unfair to a man who is as respected as anyone in the city.

"This is politics, so I know some people do some nasty things, but you don't do that," Floyd said. "She should be ashamed of herself."

Gordon Councilman George Wynn said Lucas' statement was unprofessional.

"Personally, I think she should stay in Macon where she is commissioner," said Wynn, who is white. "(Councilman) Densley is a great guy. I hate that someone would treat him that way."

Gordon Councilwoman Doretha Whipple, who is black, said she was unaware of Lucas' post and declined to comment.

BATTLE OVER OPEN RECORDS HEATS UP

A lawsuit filed by Densley, Eady and the Concerned Citizens of Gordon group against Whipple-Lue in 2014 seeks her removal from office and alleges she has participated in misconduct, including violating the state's Open Meetings Act.

At two meetings last week, City Council members voted for Eady to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Georgia Attorney General's Office to settle allegations that the mayor had violated the Open Records Act and to further the investigation into the mayor's emails.

The Attorney General's Office launched an investigation in late 2015 after the Wilkinson County Post newspaper submitted a complaint that Whipple-Lue failed to provide emails from her personal accounts that are subject to disclosure under state law.

When the mayor later provided the records, she allegedly charged more than the 10-cent-per-page copying fee allowed by law and committed other procedural violations.

Whipple-Lue has refused to sign the settlement agreement offered by the Attorney General's Office, which would allow her to admit she violated the law and for the city to pay a $1,000 fine in lieu of the case heading to litigation.

Information from the Telegraph archives was used in this report. To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623. To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 7:49 PM with the headline "Lucas in hot water over Gordon councilman 'slave' comment ."