P. Coonan
2023-11-05 18:37:59 UTC
A small-town Alabama pastor and mayor killed himself Friday, days after a
local conservative news website published a story that included photos of
him wearing womens clothing and makeup.
F.L. Bubba Copeland, who was the mayor of Smiths Station and the pastor
at First Baptist Church in Phenix City, shot himself in front of police
during a welfare check, the Lee County Sheriffs Office said.
Copelands private life was exposed Wednesday by the conservative blog
1819 News, which was once owned by the right-wing Alabama Policy Institute
and whose top editor is a former Breitbart News contributor.
That post, written by Craig Monger, had the rambling headline: The secret
life of Smiths Station Mayor and Baptist pastor F.L. Bubba Copeland as a
transgender curvy girl: Its a hobby I do to relieve stress.
1819 News published the username to Copelands Reddit and Instagram
accounts, writing that he posed in various outfits, some more racy than
others. The blog also said that Copeland used the pseudonym Brittini
Blaire Summerlin and posted pornography and advice on chemically
transitioning.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach
out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.
The blog reported that Copeland, a Republican, confirmed that the accounts
were run by him, saying they were a hobby he used for getting rid of
stress. 1819 News reported that Copeland asked them to not out him, but
they did so anyway, even though it does not appear he had taken any public
positions against LGBTQ issues that could be construed as hypocritical.
1819 News published a short article on Friday without a byline to report
Copelands suicide.
Copeland was elected to be mayor of Smiths Station, a town of about 5,000
near the Georgia state line, in 2016. He was thrust into the national
spotlight in 2019 when a string of tornadoes ravaged the area and then-
President Donald Trump visited. Copeland was photographed with Trump and
used the picture to campaign for re-election in 2020.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/alabama-mayor-bubba-copeland-kills-self-
after-right-wing-1819-news-outs-his-cross-dressing
local conservative news website published a story that included photos of
him wearing womens clothing and makeup.
F.L. Bubba Copeland, who was the mayor of Smiths Station and the pastor
at First Baptist Church in Phenix City, shot himself in front of police
during a welfare check, the Lee County Sheriffs Office said.
Copelands private life was exposed Wednesday by the conservative blog
1819 News, which was once owned by the right-wing Alabama Policy Institute
and whose top editor is a former Breitbart News contributor.
That post, written by Craig Monger, had the rambling headline: The secret
life of Smiths Station Mayor and Baptist pastor F.L. Bubba Copeland as a
transgender curvy girl: Its a hobby I do to relieve stress.
1819 News published the username to Copelands Reddit and Instagram
accounts, writing that he posed in various outfits, some more racy than
others. The blog also said that Copeland used the pseudonym Brittini
Blaire Summerlin and posted pornography and advice on chemically
transitioning.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach
out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.
The blog reported that Copeland, a Republican, confirmed that the accounts
were run by him, saying they were a hobby he used for getting rid of
stress. 1819 News reported that Copeland asked them to not out him, but
they did so anyway, even though it does not appear he had taken any public
positions against LGBTQ issues that could be construed as hypocritical.
1819 News published a short article on Friday without a byline to report
Copelands suicide.
Copeland was elected to be mayor of Smiths Station, a town of about 5,000
near the Georgia state line, in 2016. He was thrust into the national
spotlight in 2019 when a string of tornadoes ravaged the area and then-
President Donald Trump visited. Copeland was photographed with Trump and
used the picture to campaign for re-election in 2020.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/alabama-mayor-bubba-copeland-kills-self-
after-right-wing-1819-news-outs-his-cross-dressing