Confronted, Jim Purcell, the party's executive chairman, quickly removed Freel's name and sent an apology to members of the city executive committee. Purcell said he had misunderstood the committee rules. Oliver and other black committee members considered it a raw, race-driven power play by Freel. City Councilman Theo Gregory, the ranking vice chairman, had held a meeting with two of the three other vice chairmen, Freel and Councilwoman Stephanie Bolden, and set the election for city chairman for Jan. 26. Subsequently, a rough head count of all members of the city committee revealed that Oliver apparently had the numbers to win the chairmanship.
Minorities dominate five of the city's eight political districts.
Freel needed more time. Within hours, State Sen. Bob Marshall, Leo's nephew, fired off a letter to Gregory, challenging his authority and claiming he was rushing the process. Marshall wanted everything to be put on hold until late February or early March to allow time to revise the committee rules, which haven't been touched since 1966, the year after Leo took over. That letter was backed up with another to Henry Supinski, the party secretary, asking for a delay. Gregory said he was following the rules and threatened to throw the whole matter into Chancery Court.