The Curious Case of Chairman Wahl

What is going on with ALGOP Chairman John Wahl?

First, full disclosure: I know John Wahl. I consider him a good acquaintance. I wouldn’t loan him money, or ask him for a loan, and I certainly wouldn’t call him in the wee hours to help me hide a body. I’ve interviewed John Wahl several times. He’s usually good for a quote on an issue. We occasionally talk, at GOP or APLS Board meetings.

When I started getting calls and texts on Tuesday, asking what was up with Wahl’s driver’s license, I had no idea what it was about.

As it turns out, AL.com’s Kyle Whitmire dropped an article on Tuesday with a lot of questions—and allegedly, some receipts to back them up—about Wahl’s true name, voter registration, residency and ID. I’m not going to do more than hit the high points—you really should read it yourself—but apparently, Wahl is really Nehemiah Ezekiel Wahl—on a Tennessee driver’s license that he gave an Alabama Trooper for a 2023 traffic ticket.

Okay, I can see why he prefers to go by “John.” No biggie. I’ve known Lemonjello (pronounced La-MON-jello) and Orangejello (Oh-RON-jello) and Shithead (Shæ-THEED), so Nehemiah Ezekiel isn’t even a blip on my radar.

But…apparently Nehemiah Wahl registered to vote in Tennessee in 2020–the same year John Wahl was elected as an Alabama representative to the Electoral College.

It gets better, or worse: in 2022, Wahl had trouble voting in Limestone County with a non-standard ID. He apparently pulled rank, got that poll worker dismissed, and voted with an ID he later said he made himself.

He made his own ID.

I didn’t think you could do that, but what do I know?

In 2016, Wahl’s brother John said in a deposition that their family believed biometric IDs are the Mark of the Beast. Fair enough, there are a lot of people who think that. I have my own ideas about why REAL ID is awful—I’m with Ann Eubank on the issue, and I’m not the only one—but hey, 1st Amendment and all that.

But…if you’re the Chairman of a State Party that makes a Big Deal out of voter ID and election integrity? Seriously bad optics if you don't have one.

What’s worse (better) is that, according to Whitmire, both current Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen and former Sec. of State John Merrill filed complaints about Wahl—complaints that ultimately made their way up the chain to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, which resulted in….

Crickets. No action against Wahl that Whitmire (or I) could find.

Last month, APR’s Josh Moon dropped a story about how Republicans in Limestone County were questioning some things about the Wahl’s family political consulting business. Allegations were made about inappropriate activities and sketchy behaviors, as well as possible conflicts of interest between Wahl’s position as ALGOP Chair and active political consultant. That meeting was recorded, by report, and those recordings and other documents went to the Sec. of State’s office, multiple law enforcement agencies and the Alabama Ethics Commission.

Earlier this week, Wahl dismissed the entire mess, telling the Jeff Poor Show that “leftist reporters” were trying to “steer the direction of things,” mainly Tommy Tuberville’s potential run for Governor and Wahl’s own rumored run for Lt. Governor. “I would be their worst nightmare,” Wahl said—and he might be right.

Certainly Whitmire and Moon, and their outlets are, shall we say, somewhat less than solidly conservative. It’s been pointed out that, as ALGOP Chairman, Wahl would be the one to certify Tommy Tuberville’s Alabama residence, should Coach decide to run for Governor.

Yes, there were witty lines about how a Tennessee man would certify a Florida man to run for Governor of Alabama.

I have a special blank face, with slow blinks, I use for lines like that. They don’t even merit an eye roll.

But…that could very well be an issue that’s about to resolve itself, one way or another.

All day Wednesday I was getting calls about people and factions moving and actions about to be taken to unseat Wahl as ALGOP Chair. Names were mentioned, but sources I trust—no, I’m not going to drop names because I was asked not to, and I protect my sources, period. That’s how I KEEP my sources—wouldn’t let me cite them.

At any rate, I kept hearing rumors about complaints to the Party Ethics Committee. Whispers about actions about to be filed with the AG’s office, including complaints and FOIAs. ALGOP Executive Committee meetings to be called, and possible replacements for Wahl being discussed. Nothing people were willing to go on record about, even anonymously, but lots of “I swear to you…” stuff.

And then, starting Wednesday evening—nothing. Silence. Even the crickets left town on Thursday.

That tells me a lot, right there. Something IS happening behind the scenes at ALGOP, and it’s likely to be ugly.

I haven’t talked to John Wahl about this—he’s been a little busy, I think at the RNC Spring meeting. I’m hoping I can get his side of the story this weekend.

And that doesn’t make the timing of this suspicious at all, does it? That all this would drop just as Wahl is out of the State on Party business?

John Wahl deserves a chance to have his say, and I intend to give it to him, if he wants.

Until we know more, officially and on the record, the presumption of innocence MUST apply, as it must in ALL cases. Let Wahl’s accusers bring their evidence. Let him and his supporters have a chance to refute it, and let the process play out as it will. Take everything you hear with a large grain of salt (mine is a 10 kilo block).

Until then…I wonder if I can set up a booth selling sharp pointy things outside of where the ALGOP Big Committee will be meeting?

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