Charles Brumskine

Charles Walker Brumskine (born 27 April 1951) is a Liberian politician and attorney. He is the Political Leader of the Liberty Party and came third in the 2005 presidential election. He is considered the most popular opposition politician in Liberia, and is challenging Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for the Presidency in 2011.^[1]

Liberia's 2011 Presidential Elections

On January 20, 2011 Cllr. Charles Brumskine announced that Bong County Senator Franklin Obed Siakor would be his running mate in the 2011 presidential election.^[2]

Political analysts in Liberia believe that the merger of Bassa County's Charles Brumskine and Bong County's Franklin Siakor will pose trouble for Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's re-election bid.^[3]

Political analysts also argue that Brumskine's pairing with Siakor delivered a fatal blow to other opposition political parties that may enter the race for President, as the race will like come down to Brumskine and Johnson-Sirleaf.^[4]

Early life

He was educated at the University of Liberia where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1973.^[5] Brumskine then attended the school's Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law where he was awarded a Bachelors of Laws degree in 1981 and passed the Liberian bar.^[5] He earned a Masters of Laws degree from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas the following year.^[5]

Political career

Brumskine became politically prominent in the 1990s as an ally of Charles Taylor. When Taylor became President in 1997, Brumskine became President Pro Temp of the Senate. By 1999, however, they began feuding, and Brumskine fled the country after being threatened by Taylor's supporters. He returned to Liberia in 2003 with plans to run in the scheduled 2003 presidential election. However, Taylor's resignation that year and the installment of a two-year transitional government led to the elections being cancelled.

In 2004, Brumskine began campaigning for the 2005 presidential elections in Liberia, as a member of the Liberty Party. Like most of the other candidates, he promised to bring reconciliation to the country following its political turmoil, and improve the economy and infrastructure. What made him unique was the strong religious message in his campaign. Ultimately, he received nearly 14% of the vote, 6% less than the second-place candidate, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and therefore he was not able to participate in the runoff.^[6] Due to his popularity in the first round, he could have significantly influenced the run-off had he endorsed either candidate. He decided not to endorse Sirleaf or her opponent, George Weah, in the runoff.

In 2010, he announced his plans to challenge Sirleaf in the 2011 presidential election.^[7]

Brumskine in The Senate

Some of Senator Brumskine’s accomplishment while serving in the Liberian Senate:^[8]

Sponsored legislation, which increased the number of small-scale businesses, with greater access for Liberian citizens.

Mounted legislative opposition to the sale of land to non-Liberians prior to the enactment of land reform legislation that would grant title deed to Liberians who have lived on public land for generations, without the right of legal ownership and alienation.

Opposed the President’s grant of monopoly rights to certain businesses, and prevented the passage of legislation that would have prevented Liberians from suing financial institutions to recover their pre-war bank deposits.

Established Senate Committees to investigate allegations of President Taylor’s involvement in Sierra Leone’s rebel war.

Establish a non-governmental guarantee fund for microcredit. The fund was established in 1997 as a means of alleviating poverty among indigent traders, mainly women, by creating an access to trade credit from importers, which would have ordinarily been difficult, if not impossible, for them to obtain. Trade credit is extended on the strength of the guarantee to indemnify the importers in the event of default.

Establish the Student Service Corp—a personal initiative that provided college scholarships for students who committed to return to their villages during school holidays to conduct summer schools for less fortunate students. The scholarship program was intended to accomplish three objectives: provide financial assistance for deserving students, create a sense of civic awareness among young Liberians, and facilitate the unification of Liberians.

References

1. ^ Charles Brumskine's The Candidate to Beat in 2012 2 September 2007
2. ^ [1] 20 January 2011
3. ^ [2] 20 January 2011
4. ^ [3] 20 January 2011
5. ^ ^{a b c} "Candidates for President in Election 2005". TLC Africa. http://www.tlcafrica.com/election_2005.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-02. 
6. ^ Elections in Liberia, African Elections Database.
7. ^ Brumskine Frowns On Residency Clause, Wants Ellen Out of 2011 Elections 8 October 2010, FrontPageAfrica
8. ^ About Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine 11 January 2011, CitizensForBrumskine

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Name	Brumskine, Charles
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Date of birth	27 April 1951
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