Political consulting group targeting Woodfin's critics falls short on transparency

April 15, 2026 – A shadowy political consulting group attached to Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is targeting Woodfin's opponents; but has apparently made a few oversights on their own reporting.

The group is helmed by former Alabama Democratic Party Chairman candidate Joshua Lee Coleman, one of six children, is a native of Cullman. Coleman was recently the Jefferson County Democratic Party Chair, but was removed from that position.

Josh Coleman played a pivotal role in Randall Woodfin's first mayoral victory. He served as a strategist and mobilizer during the 2017 campaign, helping build the grassroots coalition that helped Woodfin defeat incumbent Mayor William Bell.

Woodfin has since rewarded Coleman with multiple senior city roles. After the election, Woodfin brought Coleman into his administration and elevated him repeatedly. He was the City of Birmingham's first LGBTQ+ Liaison (appointed in 2018), named the deputy director of the Office of Social Justice & Racial Equity, Director of Public Affairs, and Director of the Academy of Civic Engagement (ACE) - a Woodfin-era initiative to train residents for civic participation (i.e. to come out and vote for Woodfin).

These roles place Coleman among the mayor's most trusted advisors inside City Hall. It also created a high paying position with the City of Birmingham where he is required by state of Alabama law to fill out a statement of economic interests.

That is where this gets interesting

The ethics form asked: Did you, your spouse, or dependents, individuals, or combined own 5% or more of the stock in a business?

Coleman answered "No."

This is an interesting answer because on August 1, 2024 a limited liability partnership agreement was filed in Montgomery with the Secretary of State's office. According to that agreement Coleman owns a 20 percent share in the new company: Iron City Communications. The other four partners are: Terri Chapman, Paige Horace, Uche Bean, and Adarris May. Coleman's signature is on this document. According to their limited liability partnership agreement all five of them each made a $150,000 capital contribution to the business

Uche Afrika Bean is a Birmingham-born community safety and social justice professional who has served in multiple leadership roles within the City of Birmingham Mayor's Office, including as Director of Community Safety Initiatives. She previously served the Birmingham taxpayers as Deputy Director of the Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity.

As a well-paid city employee, Ms. Bean also has to file a statement of economic interest. On her report she also answered that she does not own five percent or more in a business.

Both were asked: Did you, your spouse, pr dependents serve as an officer, director, trustee, or consultant in a business. Both answered "No." That appears to conflict with their LLP filing with the Secretary of State's office.

The statement of economic interests also asks if they or their spouse participate in a business that provides consultations. They both answered "No" again, even though consulting with campaigns is a large part of what Iron City Communications does.

Coleman is also involved in a company that stages "New York style drag shows" and is involved in putting on the annual Pride parade in Birmingham.

Woodfin has engaged Iron City Communications (which includes at least three city employees as founding partners) to provide assistance to the candidates running against his enemies.

Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Birmingham in 2025. Mayor Woodfin won reelection. Now he is supporting Givan's opponent in the House District 60 Democratic Primary.

The Alabama Gazette has pulled the financials in this race.

Rep. Givan, the incumbent, has raised $51,000 in her re-election effort. She has thus far spent $29,392.79, leaving her with just $44,622.78 on April 1 according to the most recent campaign finance reports. Normally that would be in a very strong position for an incumbent seeking reelection. Not in this case.

The April filings show that the Woodfin backed opponent, Alicia R. Lumpkin has raised $186,136.38 which is a lot for a Democratic primary House race – especially with seven weeks to go. Lumpkin has spent $49,665.87 including thousands of dollars in payments to Iron City Communications, leaving her with $136,470.51 in cash on hand.

The Alabama Gazette's investigation also revealed that Steve Raby's North Alabama PAC has donated to Lumpkin. Raby, formerly a Democrat has turned chief lieutenant for the fundraising efforts of Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville). Raby has made news in recent days for his accepting of hundreds of thousands of dollars of Sports Betting Alliance dollars into his North Alabama PAC and then plowing them into Republican primary races across the state. The Alabama Gazette's research shows that Raby and his out of state gambling friends are also playing in Democratic party primary races – at least in the case of Givan and Lumpkin in House District 60.

Lumpkin's filing also shows that the payments made to Iron City Communications were for "consulting/polling" which appears to contradict Coleman and Bean's filing that they are not involved in any business that does consultations.

Lumkin has also received thousands of dollars in in-kind donations from the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) a close political ally of Ledbetter and the Republican leadership in Montgomery. It appears that the out of state gambling forces financing Republican establishment candidates also want to pick the Democrats in the Legislature.

The Democratic primary is on May 19.

Sources say that Coleman is planning to run for Alabama Democratic Party Chairman again later this year. The Alabama Gazette could not confirm that report.

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