Democrat Matt Adams Says Republican Sabrena Smedley May Be A Senior Advisor For Him; County GOP Calls Move "Beyond Troubling"

Democrat Matt Adams said at a Tuesday press conference that outgoing County Commission Chairman Sabrena Smedley may be a top official in his county mayor administration.

He said he spoke with her on Monday and "she said she would seriously consider serving as a senior advisor."

Mr. Adams said he plans to bring other Republicans into his administration as well, saying possibilities include several well-known community leaders.

Ms. Smedley and Matt Hullander lost a close race in the Republican primary to Weston Wamp. Mr. Adams said attack ads in the campaign that he said from the Wamp camp caused Ms. Smedley to lose. The attacks were directed at both her and Mr. Hullander.

The Hamilton County Republican Board of Officers issued a statement, saying, "We are aware of today's press conference. If the statements from Democratic nominee Matt Adams are true about current Commissioner, and former Republican mayoral candidate Sabrena Smedley entertaining his invitation to be a 'senior advisor' in his potential administration, they are beyond troubling.

 

Burden of Leadership

 

Abraham Lincoln, our country’s first Republican president, called for a government of the people, by the people and for the people — and that is exactly what Hamilton County needs today.

 

It is in that spirit that I intend to create a fresh model for County Government, fueled not by partisanship or lust for personal gain, but by our shared desire to build a government that represents the best of the community we hold dear.

 

Hamilton County is home to thousands of Republican and Democratic voters alike who want to see an efficient government that operates honestly and fairly, and in the best interests of those we serve. That’s why today, I stand here before you to announce my intention to hire several top level Republicans in my administration who want the exact same thing.

 

Commissioner Sabrena Smedley ran a clean, honest and visionary campaign for county mayor this year.

 

Had supporters of my opponent Weston Wamp not unleashed waves of negative advertising brimming with misinformation, Sabrena would likely be the Republican nominee. And this race would currently be between two honest, mature candidates who both have the best interests of Hamilton County at heart.

 

Today I am asking Commissioner Smedley to join my administration in a full-time role as Senior Advisor should I be elected. She has tremendous experience and insight from her years of fighting for better schools and stronger economic development on the county commission. There is simply no one better to help us take our county to new heights. With Sabrena leaving the commission, our county is losing a valuable voice. I intend to do everything I can to keep her engaged, empowered, and working for the citizens of Hamilton County.

 

My pledge, and this is on the record, is that no matter the challenge, no matter the slings and arrows, our focus will be on assembling a team that will serve ALL of Hamilton County.

 

There will be many other Republicans joining my administration in the coming weeks; some of whom may even be here today. Because public service is about more than politics. Serving our neighbor means working together, regardless of what’s going on in Nashville or Washington. It means a shared vision for investing in the ground under our feet. We all drive on the same roads, go to the same schools, and shop at the same stores. Let’s make it better, together.

 

 

MATT’S PERSONAL STORY

 

Let me quickly tell you a little bit about how we got here today.

 

I grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet a lot of times. We often went without, but my parents instilled in me the importance of a strong work ethic and giving back my time. No matter what I had going on when I got home I had to put my boots on when I arrived home on the farm and check the fence rows, food, and water. I carried that work ethic to serve on my church’s administrative board and as the vice chair of the parks and recreation committee for the city of Calhoun, TN. At 17, I enlisted in the Army because I wanted to continue my service to others. In my 8 years on active duty I served in various leadership positions where I was the youngest most junior ranking person to hold those positions. I now serve in the Army Reserves and when we are victorious on Thursday I will take the lessons I have learned in these roles, lessons of humility, servant leadership, and a strong work ethic, to the mayor’s office to always ensure we as a county are doing what is best for all of Hamilton County.

 

EMAIL ISSUE

 

Now I want to briefly address what’s been in the news the past few days. As you know, my opponent has been hell-bent on derailing a yearslong, bipartisan effort to revitalize Chattanooga’s long-suffering South Broad corridor. Even though not one dollar of current taxpayer money will go toward the project, which is expected to yield more than $1 billion in private investment, he’s paid for push polls and even run advertising against the stadium portion of the project, which will keep our beloved Lookouts here in Chattanooga. Many of us found his strong stance against common-sense economic development both curious and concerning.

 

And when emails came to light last week showing him placing personal grudges against the betterment of our community, many of us on both sides of the aisle grew even more concerned.

 

The short version is, he was for it before he was against it. Dozens of email exchanges show that in contrast to his public statements, Weston Wamp was a full-throated supporter of a public-private partnership to build a new stadium. While his dad greased the skids with a $100,000 investment and offered to work behind the scenes, Weston pitched himself as the salesman-in-chief for the new public stadium. He even went to a meeting with the city and county mayors at the time to pitch the idea, which he said would lead to, and I quote “massive development, recurring tax revenue, and could replace one of the blights of Chattanooga with a jewel,” unquote. The next sentence is priceless — “It’s a two-for-one for public officials.”

 

So what changed? He didn’t get the job.

 

Some of the emails point to racist and sexist remarks he allegedly made that turned off the owners. He denies it, and his best friends all say that he would never say or do such a thing. I can’t say, because I wasn’t there. But what I can see with my own eyes is that since 2018 he has actively worked to poison the well, even going so far as to spend campaign donations to spread what we all now know is misinformation about the project.

 

Whatever truly happened back in those days, what is clear is that the latest email revelations involving my opponent prove that he is unprepared, unqualified and unfit to serve as Mayor of Hamilton County. Mr. Wamp and his father supported the building of a publicly-funded stadium on Chattanooga’s southside when it involved a high-paying executive job. Once the owners of the Lookouts made clear that they would seek someone more qualified, the Wamps turned against the project and the former Congressman issued a veiled threat: If you don’t hire my son, I’ll make sure you don’t get a new stadium. And they followed through.

 

The bottom line is this: He’s lied to every one of you about why he opposes the stadium. He’s lied before. And he will lie again. When someone tells you who they are, believe them. And know that he will not change.

 

I believe that the job of County Mayor is too important to rest on a foundation of deceit, influence-peddling, and nepotism. I believe that the honorable people of Hamilton County deserve a better choice. And in working together with outstanding public servants like Sabrina Smedley — with more to come — I believe that together, we can turn the page on this sordid chapter and begin anew to achieve the promise of our potential.