Beth Chapman (politician)

Infobox_Politician
name = Beth Chapman

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caption = (Photo courtesy Office of the Secretary of State)
birth_date = birth date and age | 1962|04|06
birth_place = flagicon|Alabama Greenville, Alabama, U.S.
residence = Hoover, Alabama & Montgomery, Alabama
death_date =
death_place =
office = 51st Alabama Secretary of State
term_start = 2007
term_end = Present
predecessor = Nancy Worley (D)
successor = Incumbent
constituency =
office2 = 38th Alabama State Auditor
term_start2 = 2003
term_end2 = 2007
predecessor2 = Susan Parker (D)
successor2 = Samantha Shaw (R)
constituency2 =
office3 =
term_start3 =
term_end3 =
predecessor3 =
successor3 =
constituency3 =
party = Republican
religion =
occupation =
majority =
relations =
spouse = James Chapman
civil partner =
children = 2
website =
footnotes =

Beth Killough Chapman (born 1962). is an American politician from Alabama. A member of the Republican Party, she is currently the state's 51st Secretary of State.

Beth Killough was born in Greenville, Alabama. Following graduation from high school, she earned a B.S. from the University of Montevallo, and a Master's degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 1988, she married James Chapman, with whom she has two sons, Winston Taylor Chapman, named in honor of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and William Thatcher Chapman, named in honor of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The family currently lives in Hoover, Alabama. Chapman also maintains a residence in Montgomery, Alabama.

From 1995 to 1996, she served as Appointments Secretary in the Cabinet of Governor Fob James, becoming the first woman to serve in that post. Following a stint in the private sector, she served as Press Secretary for Lieutenant Governor Steve Windom from 2000 to 2001. During the 2000 presidential election, she served as a delegate pledged to George W. Bush at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, and as a member of Alabama's delegation to the Electoral College later that year.

Resigning from Lt. Governor Windom's staff in November, 2001, she entered the 2002 race for State Auditor, scoring an upset victory in the Republican primary, before goining on to win the general election, capturing a seat previously held by Democrat Susan Parker. She served as State Auditor from 2003 to 2007. She was elected as Secretary of State in November, 2006, defeating incumbent Nancy Worley by a margin of 57-43%. [ [http://www.sos.state.al.us/downloads/election/2006/general/certification-statewide-offices-12-29-2006.pdf Alabama Secretary of State Certificate of Election: General Election 2006] ] She assumed that office in January, 2007. Chapman has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Governor of Alabama in the 2010 election. ["Democrats Can’t Start a Fire Without a Sparks," "Roll Call", May 15, 2007]

In early 2008, Chapman became the subject of attacks by Mark Montiel, a Republican former judge. ["Former Judge Seeks Probe," "Mobile Press-Register", March 18, 2008, p. B2] Montiel sought to have the Alabama Ethics Commission and the Attorney General review tens of thousands of dollars paid by Chapman's 2006 campaign to her husband and sons. Attorney General Troy King, a fellow Republican, announced the complaint against Chapman does not appear to raise any violations of the law. He also wrote that state law does not prohibit a candidate from hiring family members to work in a campaign. [ [http://blog.al.com/breaking/2008/03/alabama_ag_says_complaint_agai.html Alabama AG Says Complaint against Secretary of State Unsupported] ] The Ethics Commission investigation remains ongoing. ["Ethics Commission Looks at Complaint," "Mobile Press-Register", March 21, 2008, p. B2]

In May 2008, Chapman again made headlines when an Associated Press story revealed that Chapman's personal consulting firm is paid nearly $50,000 annually by a private charity that receives funding from the state government. ["Double Dipping Controversy: Alabama Secretary of State Does Paid Charity Work," "Mobile Press-Register", May 15, 2008, p. B2] Democratic critics attacked Chapman, and Alabama Republicans generally, for engaging in such deals while attacking Democratic legislators holding state jobs. Chapman denied wrongdoing, and stated that the charity's funds paid to her firm come from fundraising, not its state grants. "The Birmingham News", which had endorsed Chapman in her 2006 campaign, ["Our Recommendations," "The Birmingham News", November 5, 2006, p. 2D] rejected these arguments and sharply criticized her over the issue. ["Beth Chapman's Moonlighting," "The Birmingham News", May 19, 2008, p. 4A]

References

* [http://www.sos.state.al.us/OfficeOfSoS/Biography.aspx Alabama Secretary of State Biography]
* [http://www.bethchapman.com/about.htm Campaign Website Biography]
* [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=27533 Project Vote Smart Profile]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.bethchapman.com Beth Chapman's website]
* [http://www.sos.alabama.gov Alabama Secretary of State Office's website]