In a newly released TV ad, Katherine Robertson, chief counsel in the AG's Office and a candidate for the office, accuses her leading opponent, former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell, of having previously served as a registered agent for Uzbekistan while pledging to fight Islamic extremism in the state.
Robertson’s ad dropped the day after Mitchell announced his “Protect Alabama Plan,” which would address what Mitchell claims is a “growing threat of radical Islamic extremism,” should he win the office.
“In recent weeks, we have watched Jay Mitchell try to convince Alabama Republicans that he has suddenly become some kind of MAGA warrior with ads ranging from humorous to patently absurd,” campaign manager Annabel Martinson said. “Imagine our surprise when we learned that Mitchell was once a registered foreign agent for Uzbekistan and personally lobbied Hillary Clinton’s office. While Katherine Robertson has spent her entire career as a leader in the conservative legal movement, Mitchell has exposed himself as nothing more than an ambitious corporate shill.”
Robertson’s ad accuses Mitchell of being a registered foreign agent of the Muslim regime of Uzbekistan in 2007 and lobbying Hillary Clinton, who served as a U.S. Senator at the time.
In 2006, the U.S. State Department designated the Sunni-majority Uzbekistan as a "Country of Particular Concern" for violating religious freedom, a designation that remained in effect for years.
In 2008, the U.S. government continued to accuse the country of committing “serious abuses of religious freedom.”
“Authorities severely mistreated persons arrested on suspicion of extremism, using torture, beatings, and particularly harsh prison conditions,” a release from the State Department reads.
Martinson contends that Mitchell’s front-facing hostility towards Islam contradicts his previous work for an ostensibly Muslim country with a record of human rights abuses.
“Mitchell is the only candidate in the history of Alabama politics to register as a foreign agent for a Muslim country,” a release from the Robertson campaign read.
“Currently, Uzbekistan is ranked 15th on the world watch list for the ‘Worst Places To Live As A Christian,’ and possession of Bibles and unauthorized religious material is banned," the release added. "During the time period Mitchell lobbied for Uzbekistan, Muslim authoritarian President Islam Karimov received 91% of the vote in what was termed a ‘farce’ election, and suicide bombers targeted both the U.S. and Israeli embassies located there.”
The same ad accuses Mitchell of further hypocrisy in claiming to oppose Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies, while working for a law firm that “promotes DEI programs and mandates attorneys to undergo DEI training.”
Mitchell did not immediately return a call to comment on the accusations.
This most recent shot is one in a series of rapidly escalating accusations between the Robertson and Mitchell camps as we draw closer to the May 19 Republican Primary.
SEE: Accusations continue to fly between Jay Mitchell and Katherine Robertson in heated AG race
The pair will face Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey for the Republican nomination in the May 19 primary.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
