Montgomery, Ala., mayor Steven Reed has recently been embroiled in controversy after profanity-laced audio clips leaked online. The clips appear to feature the mayor using vulgar language and making derogatory comments about Black voters.

The clips were obtained by conservative media outlet 1819 News. In one clip Reed, the first Black mayor of Montgomery, is allegedly heard saying, “I can come smile. I don’t f*****g got to do no goddamn work. I don’t have to do no work systemically and I’m gonna be fine. And guess what? I will always get 38 to 45 percent of the white vote. If I get 30 to 45 percent of the white vote, I don’t f*****g have to damn get the Black vote I got this past election and I’ll f*****g win.”

The clip continues, “You got [a] Black city? That’s great. You can have all Black everything, that’s great. You can have all Black everything, and guess what? You won’t have green nothing if the white money thinks that you aren’t looking after their s**t  they will take their s**t to Prattville, they will take their s**t to Pike Road and you won’t have s**t.”

In more audio, Reed, 49, seems to be responding to criticism over media appearances. “So what I’m gonna tell Karen when I meet with them -- don’t ever f*****g tell me that I’m on f*****g TV. Every time I’m on f*****g TV I get somebody from New York and L.A., they call me about how they can invest in goddamn Montgomery.”

Reed allegedly adds “the descendants of Confederate soldiers” won’t invest in “systemic change” in Montgomery.

“You think motherf*****g gonna invest in Montgomery? You think I expect the descendants of Confederate soldiers f*****g invest beyond what’s good for them? They give you some charity, they’ll give you some charity. ... they do something a little nice over at Valiant Cross, where I’m on the board. But will they really invest in systemic change? Hell f*****g nah, they’re not gonna invest in it. So don’t ever mix up what I’m doing . ... you haven’t seen a scientist as diabolical as me because no one has come into this with what I have.”

In a statement, Reed, who was elected in 2019, explained the “heavily edited” audio clips are nearly three years old and part of an extortion attempt.

“There is an audio clip that features me speaking privately with a member of the Montgomery community. This clip has been heavily edited and features carefully selected sound bites of my voice. The conversation was recorded without my knowledge or consent by this community member almost three years ago,” Reed said.

“The meeting with this community member was prompted by our concerns about civil unrest in the immediate aftermath of the death of George Floyd. During this meeting, it became abundantly clear to me that this individual sought personal financial gain during a time of crisis in our city, state, and country. You have my word that no one in my administration will ever give in to a shakedown or extortion,” Reed continued.

He concluded, “The mission of our administration is to bring more opportunity to each and every resident while making sure that Montgomery’s success is their success. As Mayor, I will continue working tirelessly for our citizens and not let distractions keep us from doing the business of the City.”

While Reed says the audio was recorded without his consent, Alabama is a one-party consent state, meaning only one person involved in a conversation must consent to its recording.

According to WAKA, Reed accused Montgomery businessman and non-profit owner Charles Lee of leaking the audio clips and attempting to extort him for $30,000 or turn the Black vote against him.

On Feb. 21, Lee told WAKA, “I’ve never heard none of this stuff before in my life, and I don’t know how after what three years or whatever now, that’s some tapes leaking now, you feel like I’m gonna charge Charles with whatever, cause if I broke the law then, and you are the mayor would, you know. But I’m done talking, and I would never shake nobody down for no $30,000. I’m from Chicago. What is $30,000 gonna do for anybody.”