There is division among Indianapolis City-County Council members, and this time, it is not across party lines.
Democratic Councilor Stephen Clay has mounted a campaign of sorts against Maggie Lewis, president of the City-County Council. Last week, the Democratic Caucus voted in favor of Lewis running for president, but Clay had his qualms. The day following the caucus vote, Clay sent a letter to certain Democrat and Republican members of the council stating, in part, “The current style of leadership has proven over the years to be hypocritical, divisive and manipulative.” At the end of the letter, Clay asked for the councilors to vote for him for council president on Jan. 8 when the measure goes before the full body.
This isn’t the first time Clay has tried to be council president. As a matter of fact, it is something he has done rather consistently since he was first elected in 2014. Each of his attempts has been unsuccessful, yet time and time again, he tries … over and over and over again.
I respect Clay’s desire to excel in politics, as most of us have a desire to improve and advance in various capacities; however, I don’t agree with his timing or his approach. I won’t get into the ugliness of his efforts, but I will say his attempts are making him look very bad and incredibly desperate in the eyes of various people across the political spectrum, as well as leaders throughout the city. Democrats and Republicans are talking about Clay’s efforts, and majorities on both sides disagree with his approach and his ability to adequately do the job he so desperately wants.
I am one of those people.
It is unfortunate that Clay has pitted himself against the majority of people in his party. What is even more unfortunate is that the majority of Clay’s fellow Democrats are also African-American. Such divisiveness leaves us all the more vulnerable as a whole. It is unrealistic for me or anyone else to expect every Democrat or every Black person on the City-County Council to get along. I often say diversity of thoughts and perspectives makes a beautiful mosaic. I am in full support of someone disagreeing with another person. However, in Clay’s case, his timing and reasoning don’t make sense.
Maggie Lewis is doing a great job as Council president. She has not only proven herself a compassionate leader who carefully examines issues and does extensive research to educate herself, but she is also stately, has incredible decorum and has a solid reputation for working effectively across the aisle. Her bi-partisan approach has suited her well when dealing with representatives in the Council minority. Lewis has worked hard to prove herself, and the legacy she is building extends far beyond her being the first African-American female to lead the Council.
That is why Clay’s approach is all wrong.
His efforts are a power play, and the depths he has gone in his quest for control are unfitting for a politician and certainly for a man who serves as pastor of a church.
Stephen Clay is not suited to be president of the Council. While he has had his share of controversies that are separate from politics and the pulpit he oversees, as troubling as those factors may be, they have no weight in my perspective relative to him as an elected official. I just don’t think he is the person for the job.
Clay is ambitious. He has been ambitious for a long time. He was ambitious when he first joined the Council, and I am sure that ambition will continue. He is also an articulate preacher who does his thing in the pulpit — his delivery of the word captivates his congregants. However, he is all wrong in his pursuit of the Council presidency.
He has no real merit for his claims against Lewis. If he wants to be president (and we all know he does), then he should do so the way that will garner the most success, the right way: Put in the hard work, exercise decorum, develop a proven track record, earn the trust of constituents and politicians, and strategize at the most opportune time with the majority of his party.
The adage, “there is strength in numbers” is an adage for a reason — because it is true!
Blacks have to do a better job of uniting and using our positive attributes to advance our community as a whole. Divisiveness, back-biting and the crabs-in-a-barrel syndrome won’t get us anywhere but further away from reaching our maximum potential and fulfilling our greatest destiny as a people.
If Clay sincerely has a problem with Lewis, the most productive and collaborative manner to deal with the issue is to work with her toward improvement. We are not all called to be leaders, nor do we all have to be chiefs. There is power and strength in recognizing and accepting these truths.
