By IN reporter Sean Boone
It’s not a shocker that Halcorp–a liquid asphalt company that has had a 20-year contract with the city to do work out of the port–wants an extension to its expiring contract.
But what is surprising is where Halcorp has politically invested its money.
Back in September, company executives Joseph Mattingly, AJ Brass, Sanford Brass and his wife Joyce all gave contributions to a locally operated political action committee known as We Vote PAC.
The four also gave more than $5,500 to members running in the city council race including: Jewell Cannada Wynn, Marty Donovan, Sam Hall, Megan Benson Pratt, Jack Nobles and Robert Townsend.
We Vote PAC is operated out of the same office in Pensacola as Movement for Change–which is run by Leroy Boyd.
Boyd and his wife each donated $50.00 and City Council member Sam Hall donated $500.00 to the PAC.
According to records, the only money spent by the political organization during the election races was $500.00 for the Robbie Andrews Dist. 7 campaign, sign materials and more than $669.69 in fish fry supplies.
Hall says he donated to the PAC because he liked how they conducted activities that got out the vote and endorsed many of the same candidates he did on its sample ballot.
When asked why Halcorp execs out of Houston would invest in the local PAC, neither Hall nor Boyd had a definite answer.
“I would imagine (they donated to We Vote) because the group supports the port,” says Hall. “They donated to me because I support Halcorp. Im not sure how (donating to We Vote) has anything to do with Movement for Change, but I do know Leroy (Boyd) supports the port because it hires many minority workers.”
Hall and Boyd both said they had no ties to the contributions that Halcorp made to We Vote PAC.
“There are quite a few people involved with We Vote (outside of Halcorp),” says Boyd. “I don’t personally know anybody related with Halcorp.”