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LWV League of Women Voters of California
California State Government October 7, 2003 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Alex Saint James

Candidate for
Recall of Gray Davis; State of California

[photo]
This information is provided by the candidate

Alex-St. James, a once-aspiring Catholic priest, former San Francisco Sacramento small business owner, today, is leading the way to break the leftist liberal control of Black Americans as the Chairman of the D.C. based African American Republican Leadership Council (AARLC).

The African American Republican Leadership Council is the nationwide Reaganite network of political donors helping elect pro-growth conservative African American Republicans beginning at the local state level.

Alex-St. James was born in the West African country of Liberia from a clan holding exceptional prescriptive rank and privileges. As agents of United States Government under the auspices of the American Colonization Society, his forefathers braved an unknown world as founding fathers in service to that nation and service to God. This they instill in their progeny.

Hence, from an early age Alex-St. James has always had a commitment to duty, a passion to serve people, the betterment of the lot and an indomitable self-confidence.

This former 1999 city council, and exploratory mayoral candidate of Sacramento, has always been an active activist leader. However, it was his experience as a candidate that truly launched him into changing the image and perception of Republicans by his people and leaving the business world to get black conservatives elected to all levels of government. Alex-St. James quickly discovered African American candidates often did not receive the support level to bring home winnable elections and vowed to change that by appealing to like minded Republicans to support black conservative candidates that meet certain Reaganomics AARLC litmus tests.

Concurrently, Alex-St. James has vowed to change the terrible image and perception by black folks of Republicans as a bunch of racists, not worthy of their support. But Alex- St. James' biggest concern came as he had to concede that Republicans have done next to nothing to counter the diabolical lies perpetrated successfully by liberal democrats and their surrogates.

He pontificates the surest way to increase Blacks support of Republican public policies from the current nominal 14 percent to at least 25 percent is to identify, recruit and train African Americans as future Reaganomic public policy activists. This he believes would provide the surest means to promote the development of a new generation of Reagan minded African American public policy black electorate within the black community and raise Republican support base. He states that his target is not arbitrary, but empirically based as the threshold necessary percentage needed to make the overwhelming difference in races where the black electorate can be the deciding votes or be the edge to victory when black folks support Reaganomic public policies and candidates.

The entrepreneurial bug bit Alex-St. James at the tender age of 12 when he started a small business selling coconut candy and cigarettes. He hired older kids as his salesmen. Most of the profits he earned he donated to children less fortunate then he for schoolbooks, clothing and tuitions. And with an early belief in giving a hand up, not a hand out, he also helped those children start their own small businesses. Alex says it is innate for him to reach back and help. The spirit of generosity captured Alex-St. James as a young man as he felt a calling to become a Catholic priest. He entered the Seminary in Liberia until political unrest forced him to flee his native country to the United States. The coup in 1981 resulted in the execution of many members of his family.

He came to Oakland, California and began attending the University of San Francisco, where he studied philosophy and biophysics, still pursuing his calling to the priesthood, now as a Jesuit. He worked a variety of jobs while in university that ranged from his first job at Church's Chicken, to CNN as an assistant assignment desk editor. When he completed his studies, his spiritual advisor counseled him to "see the world" before he made the life-long commitment to the priesthood.

He moved to Sacramento in the early 1980s to attend to his ailing mother. The excitement of the Capitol city enchanted him and he decided to make Sacramento his home. In 1983, he founded his financial management consulting business; The Better Image Information services now Sierra Tahoe Financial Management.

Listening to his spiritual advisor, and to his heart, he began to explore the world of public service. He attained a position in Governor George Deukmejian's legal department in the division that reviewed patrol and pardon petitions. Wanting to experience the many facets of public service, he interned with then Assemblyman John Vasconcellos, and then for U.S. Senator Pete Wilson. He went on to work on Wilson's first gubernatorial campaign.

By the end of the election, he was clear that his calling was as a small business owner and as a public servant, so he began work on a doctoral degree in public policy and public administration through USC's Sacramento satellite program. While going to school, he gained vast experience in numerous policy areas working for the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Conservation under the Wilson Administration.

He has never lost his commitment to children. He mentors at-risk youth and is involved with programs that help developmentally disabled children. Unmarried as a practicing Catholic, today he still supports pupils of his extended family and other less fortunate family members displaced from Liberia's civil unrest. As past-chair of NAACP's political action and housing departments, he has fought to ensure affordable housing without discrimination. As a member of neighborhood associations, Alex still helps his local Sacramento community stays in touch with city government, to keep neighborhoods safe, clean and pro-growth.

Sirknight as he was affectionately referred to, graduated top of the class from the 1998 Sacramento City Management Academy and received letters of commendation from city officials for his bold vision for the city of Sacramento. As Chairman of African American Republican Leadership Council, Alex-St. James has instituted programs to facilitate breaking the leftist control of Black America. Some of these programs include:

Black America's Leadership Institute

Increase the number, effectiveness and placement of black conservatives throughout public policy process as staffers, appointees and conservative public policy leaders.

Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) campus leadership Program

Bring the conservative resurgence to Historical Black colleges and universities

Train and hands-on development of black conservative campus newspapers

Candidate Development School

Identify, recruit and teach prospective candidates in preparation to run successfully for local, state and federal appointments and elective office.

Campaign Leadership Seminars

Designed for future and current campaign managers and senior campaign staff

Issue Advocacy Campaign

Use infomercials in support of issues AARLC cares about.

Grassroots Activists Training Seminars

An opportunity to learn what it takes to organize successful local activism.

That's a tall order for anyone to accomplish. But Alex-St. James' life has been filled with such stellar accomplishments. Quo Vadis, he often says, inviting other like-minded Republicans to join him.

Alex-St. James, is a fourth degree Brother Knight of the Knights of St Peter Claver, and the Knights of Columbus. He is a member of several philanthropic, civic and religious organizations.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 4, 2003 11:49
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