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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill says he won’t run in 2022

Credit: WAAY ABC Huntsville, AL
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Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill says he won’t run in 2022
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill says he won’t run in 2022
He also denies allegations of racism

A possible senate run squashed by an extramarital affair and allegations of racism against secretary of state john merrill.

A-l dot com reports secretary merrill had a 16-month long affair with a 44- year old legal aid in montgomery.

Now - secretary merrill announced he will not run for public office in 2022.

Let's bring in waay 31's luke hajdasz.

He's live this morning with more details about why he called off the campaign.

Luke, good morning.

Pat, marie - waay 31 spoke with secretary merrill after these allegations surfaced.

He is facing 2 major allegations.

The extramerital affair - which he didn't completely deny to waay 31, and allegations of racism, which he called entirely false.

In a phone call just hours ago with waay 31's dan shaffer, merrill called the affair a "personal and family situation" - without confirming or denying the allegations.

Al dot com released an audio recording wednesday night between merrill and his ex-mistress, who is 13 years younger than he is.

In it, merrill tries to end the affair.

Citing the website "national file" - al dot com also says the ex-mistress called african americans "colored."

Take a listen to secretary merrill's reaction those allegations... john merrill alabama secretary of state "well, certainly there's no truth to those allegations.

Nobody's ever reported that about me at any time ever.

It's another one of the false allegations that were actually made related to me by this individual."

Before the recording and report surfaced yesterday, merrill denyed the affair as a whole - calling them "baseless" allegations.

Pat, marie... luke-- we know this is a fluid situation.

Have any political party officials reacted to this yet?

Marie, yes.

The alabama democratic party executive director wade perry said in a statement saying... with the exception of the use of state resources to facilitate his affair, merrill's personal life and conduct are just that - personal.

The democratic party is much more concerned about the allegation that he regularly referred to aftrican american judges and citizens in alabama as 'the coloreds.'

If true, he must apologize and resign immediately."

As this story progresses we will have all the latest on-air and online at waaytv.com.

Live in huntsville, luke hajdasz, waay 31 news.

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