Most Republican appellate court incumbents win without an opponent as Democrats concede state appellate courts to the GOP
Major party qualifying ended on Friday. Four Republican Alabama Supreme Court Justices won election when no opponent – Republican or Democrat came forward. Justices Will Sellers, Tommy Bryan, and Jay Mitchell were all effectively re-elected as they face no Republican primary challenger. Write-in candidates are not allowed in party primaries. No attorney qualified for any of these races as a Democrat, so they are unlikely to face an opponent in the November general election. Chris McCool gave up his seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals to run for the open Place 1 associate supreme court justice seat. He also had no Republican or Democratic opponent qualify. On the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Republican incumbent Judges Richard Minor and Bill Cole were both effectively re-elected when no Republican or Democratic opponent qualified for either race. Two Republicans: Rich Anderson and Thomas Govan, qualified for the open Place 2 seat that Chris McCool is leaving to run for Supreme Court. Both Govan and Anderson work in the Alabama Attorney General’s office. No Democrat qualified for that seat either, so Govan and Anderson’s race in the Republican primary on March 5 is likely to decide this race. On the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals incumbents Christy Edwards and Terry Moore were both effectively re-elected when qualifying ended without either facing any opposition. The only incumbent appellate judge in the state to face a challenger is Republican: Republican Chad Hanson at Place 2 on the Court of Civil Appeals is being challenged in the Republican primary by Stephen Davis-Parker. There are four candidates running for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Chief Justice Tom Parker, also a Republican, cannot run again due to the state’s arcane mandatory retirement age for judges provision. Associate Justice Sarah Stewart is giving up her place 1 seat on the court to run for Chief Justice. Former State Senator Bryan Taylor is also running for the office. Taylor is also a former legal counsel for Governors Kay Ivey and Bob Riley. On Friday, Montgomery attorney Jerry Michael Blevins also qualified to run for Chief Justice. Chief Justice is the only state appellate race that the Alabama Democratic Party is even contesting. Judge Greg Griffin will face the eventual Republican nominee for Chief Justice in the November general election. Griffin presently is a Circuit Court Judge in Montgomery’s Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court. Thirty years ago, Democrats dominated the Alabama appellate courts. That changed in 1994 when retired Judge Perry Hooper Sr. defeated incumbent Sonny Hornsby in a contested race for chief justice. In the years since, Republican fortunes have continued to improve. Only one Democratic candidate, Doug Jones in 2017, has won any statewide race since 2008, and no Democratic judicial candidate has won a statewide race since Sue Bell Cobb was elected Chief Justice in 2006. Democrats are hopeful that Judge Griffin can change their fortunes next year. There is still a slight possibility that an attorney could still qualify as an independent or third-party candidate for one of these offices. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Parole denied for 90% of Alabama inmates, a new low
Seventy-one-year-old Leola Harris is confined to a wheelchair, must undergo dialysis three times a week, and is in end-stage renal failure, her attorney said. After serving 19 years of a 35-year murder sentence, the frail woman is not a threat to anyone and should be released to a nursing home to live out her final days, he argued. The Alabama Parole Board disagreed and last week denied her parole after a brief hearing. She won’t be eligible again until 2028. The rate of state inmates being granted parole in Alabama has plummeted to a new low, with 90% of eligible inmates being rejected last fiscal year, according to agency reports. Critics of the decline say the board is not following its guidelines, and denial has become the default decision. “This denial is an injustice and a waste of tax dollars,” said former Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, who now heads Redemption Earned, which represented Harris. The group is a nonprofit law firm that represents aged and ill inmates whom the organization determines are worthy of release. “They are supposed to ask if someone has been adequately punished. She’s 71 and has served 19 years, without violations in 12 years,” Cobb said. “Then the next question is: Do they pose a risk to public safety? The woman is in a wheelchair and cannot even go to the bathroom by herself. She’s dying, and they just denied her parole. It is an injustice. It is shameful.” Harris’ parole was opposed by Victims of Crime and Leniency, an advocacy group for victims and their families, and the state attorney general’s office. They argued against Harris’ release because she was convicted of murder. Harris was convicted of murder for the 2001 killing of Lennell Norris, who was found dead at her kitchen table. Harris testified at her trial that Norris was a friend who would often come by her house at night but maintained she did not shoot him and that someone else was in the house that night. The three-member board granted parole to 409 inmates and turned down 3,593 others in the fiscal year that ended September 30, according to records from the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. The grant rate of 10% is a fraction of what it had been in previous years and comes after four straight years of decline. The rate was 31% in fiscal year 2019 before falling to 20% in 2020 and then 15% in 2021. Parole board Chairwoman Leigh Gwathney declined to comment to questions submitted through an agency spokesperson. State Rep. Chris England, who has called for changes on the board, argued political concerns are driving the limited releases. “Folks that are pushing this process where we don’t release anyone are more concerned with headlines than they are with public safety,” England, D-Tuscaloosa, said. Leah Nelson, research director at the legal nonprofit Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, said the state is creating “conditions for combustion” within prisons that the U.S. Department of Justice has said are already among the most violent in the country. “We have a parole board that evidently is finding that no one meets whatever standard it has in mind. No one has any hope. We have a despair machine,” Nelson said. In 2020, guidelines were put in place, including a scoring system, to determine if release is recommended. The board conformed to the guidelines about 30% of the time, according to state records. Cam Ward, executive director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, said the guidelines are just that. “The law says it’s up to the board. They have total discretion,” Ward said. He cautioned about comparing parole rates to the years before 2019, because of sentencing changes. A horrific crime in north Alabama led to changes at Alabama’s parole board. In 2018, eight months after Jimmy O’Neal Spencer was released on parole, he was charged with killing three people, including a 7-year-old and his grandmother. In 2019, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation overhauling the board appointment process. “If these folks are upset about the number of inmates paroled, they should come every day and listen to the horrible crimes they committed. They would understand why these violent offenders should serve their sentence,” Janette Grantham, executive director of Victims of Crime and Leniency, wrote in an email. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall defended the low parole rate. “By law, the paramount duty of the board is to ensure public safety—not to appease the anti-incarceration community,” his office said in a statement released through a spokesman. Stacy George, a former corrections officer who has been outspoken about prison conditions, said he believes the board should hear from inmates directly, at least remotely via computer, and find out more about their circumstances. People eligible for parole in Alabama currently do not appear before the board. “There are people that never need to actually get out of prison, but there are people that do need to get out and get a second chance,” George said. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Former Chief Justice, gubernatorial candidate Sue Bell Cobb calls for Nancy Worley’s resignation
Former Chief Justice and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sue Bell Cobb called for the resignation of Alabama Democratic Party Chair Nancy Worley, and Alabama Democratic Conference leader Joe Reed on Sunday. In an Opinion-Editorial published by the Anniston Star, Cobb makes her case against Worley and Reed, saying they should “make a sacrifice worthy of their lifelong dedication to racial and gender equality and their decade-long contributions to the party,” and step down from their positions so that new leaders may recruit and support “qualified, electable Democratic candidates.” “The upcoming November election has given Democrats in Alabama an opportunity to achieve measurable gains. Republicans in our state are proven to be corrupt, with the former governor, speaker of the House and chief justice all being ousted for wrongdoing. It should be easy to take advantage of the embarrassment caused by the former Republican governor’s love affair, subsequent divorce and resignation,” Cobb continued. “It should be easy to take advantage of the felony conviction of the former Republican speaker of the House and for his violation of the ethics laws he championed in his rise to power. And it should be easy to take advantage of the twin removals of a Republican chief justice. Sadly, Worley and Reed were unable or unwilling to do so.” The party has faced a tumultuous month since Worley’s re-election in early August. Worley herself is being sued by a fellow member of the party, Susan Cobb for allegedly removing her from the party’s website and restructuring the committee, effectively removing her from office. And Ralph Young, a Jefferson County Democrat, filed a seven-page complaint with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) saying that Worley did not follow proper procedures when calling the meeting that led to her re-election. Claiming she gave inadequate notice and failed to comply with diversity requirements for officers.
Five things you need to know about Walt Maddox
Walt Maddox won the democratic nomination for governor, with nearly 55 percent of the votes. His closest competitor, former Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb held only 28.98 percent of the vote. But now that the primaries are over, the real battle begins. Maddox will face against incumbent governor and Republican candidate Kay Ivey in the November 6 general election. With that in mind, Here’s five things you need to know about Walt Maddox: 5. While at UAB, he was a four-year letterman on the football team. Maddox attended the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 1991, and played on the college’s football team for four years. In his freshman year 120 players walked on and after four season Maddox was one of only 16 lettermen left. “I’m very proud of that,” Maddox told the Tuscaloosa news. “I wasn’t that good, but I worked so hard to do it. I feel like I’ve spent my life trying to prove myself. I have this desire within me to do that. It gives me the drive to do well.” Maddox was invited back in April of 2013 to coach a UAB scrimmage game to raise funds for the victims of the tornados that swept through the state on April 2, 2011 destroying parts of Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. Not only did the game provide Maddox with a way to help his constituents even more, but he also achieved a life-long dream of his, coaching football. 4. His background is in public education, which is a tradition in his family. After earning his Bachelors degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Public Administration, from UAB, Maddox began his career in public education, a family tradition. In 1996 Maddox served as a field director for the Alabama Educational Association, until 2001 when he was appointed to be the Executive Director of Personnel for Tuscaloosa City Schools where he served until he was elected as mayor of Tuscaloosa. 3. He garnered national attention for his role in recovery efforts after “tornadoes demolished one-seventh of his city” in 2011. During his second term as mayor, tragedy struck the city of Tuscaloosa on April 27, when one of the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history demolishing one-seventh of the city. The recovery process has been long and hard for the city, but Maddox received national attention for his demeanor and leadership during the process. “Though Tuscaloosa’s long-term recovery process has had its critics, Maddox emerged from the disaster beloved by his constituents, who saw a young and energetic leader guiding the traumatized community with a steady hand and calm disposition,” said the New York Times. In commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the tornado that tore through Tuscaloosa, the City – under Mayor Maddox’s leadership – launched the website 5 Yrs Fwd, highlighting how recovery from the disaster has progressed. 2. He is the youngest mayor in the history of the city of Tuscaloosa. In 2005, longtime Tuscaloosa mayor Al DuPont retired, and Maddox faced against city council member Sammy Watson in the election. The race resulted in a runoff later that year which Maddox won with 54 percent of the vote. He was only 33 years old when he was elected Mayor of Tuscaloosa, making him the youngest mayor in the history of the city. 1. His favorite hobby is running, and he has completed 9 marathons and several half-marathons. Running can do wonders for your overall mental health, immune system, and is an excellent stress reliever. Maddox’s favorite hobby is running; he has run nine marathons and several half marathons. Only .5 percent of the U.S. population has run a full marathon, with even fewer people completing more than one.
Winners, losers and jokers this week: June 8 edition
It’s been quite the week in Alabama politics. The primary election left us with some very clear winners and losers and even a few head scratchers. Here’s my take on some of what happened: Winners: Kay Ivey and her campaign team This one’s a no brainer. With favorable ratings that made her look untouchable Gov. Kay Ivey‘s campaign team managed to do exactly what they needed to in order to escape a run-off election; duck and cover. Ivey and her team played it safe by not debating the other candidates or jumping into the muck and it payed off. Tommy Battle was a formidable opponent but the strategy of making the general the only race that mattered worked for Ivey and her team. Add to that the retail politicking she did with base republican’s and all she has to do is turn them all back out for her in Nov. to secure a victory. Losers: Sue Bell Cobb Many would have thought Cobb could have at least run the Democratic primary into a runoff, but her bizarro-world defense of a rapist and subsequent stumbling statements failed both her and her campaign. Scott Maddox ran a high energy, well organized campaign but Cobb was responsible for her own undoing. Jokers: Jim Bonner voters I don’t want to call them “losers,” so we’ll go with “jokers,” because the people who voted for Jim Bonner after the hot mess he found himself in had to have been joking? The question their votes leaves me with, are people really not paying attention to the point of not knowing what was happening in that race? We need to do better as an electorate. Winners: *Bonus edition* Alabama today readers Thank you for giving us our best week this year. Please continue to share and engage with our posts online —our site is thriving because of readers like you. Also, please remember to pass on your daily Cheat Sheet newsletter to your friends, neighbors, coworkers, the mailman, you know anyone with an email address (shameless plug over now). You can sign-up for your own copy the Cheat Sheet here (right hand column).
2018 statewide election ad roundup: June 1 edition
The June 5 Republican and Democratic primaries are only 4 days away and Alabama’s candidates have taken to the internet and the airwaves with campaign ads in hopes of swaying Yellowhammer State voters to their side. Surprisingly, in the final week before the primary, none of the republican candidates for governor have rolled out any new ads. However, not surprisingly, Sue Bell Cobb released a new ad this week for the eleventh week in a row, Walt Maddox took a different approach to his new ad, using his field staffers to create the ad. Lieutenant governor candidates Will Ainsworth, and Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh both released new ads firing shots at one another, while Attorney General candidates Chess Bedsole, was the only candidate in his race to roll out a new ad. Gubernatorial ads Democrats Sue Bell Cobb: Title: On Retirement Published: May 28, 2018 Tone: Sentimental Walt Maddox: Title: Walt Maddox Field Staffers Making a Difference Published: June 1, 2018 Tone: Benevolent Lieutenant governor ads Republicans Will Ainsworth: Title: Shooting Straight Published: May 25, 2018 Tone: Direct Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh: Title: Truth Published: May 25, 2018 Tone: Agitated Attorney General ads Republicans Chess Bedsole: Title: Ready Published: May 24, 2018 Tone: Assertive
Walt Maddox announces statewide GOTV rallies
Alabama voters take to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in for the candidate of their choice. In a final push to rally voters together, Tuscaloosa Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walt Maddox, will be hosting several Get Out the Vote (GOTV) rallies across the state starting on Friday. Maddox will face against former Alabama Chief Justice, Sue Bell Cobb, former state legislator James Fields, Doug Smith and Chris Countryman in the Yellowhammer State’s democratic primary on June 5. Here’s Maddox’s event schedule: Friday, June 1: 6 p.m. Walt Maddox GOTV Rally Via Senior Center, Mobile 1717 Dauphin St. Saturday, June 2: 1 p.m. Walt Maddox GOTV Rally Good People Brewing, Birmingham 114 14th St S 6 p.m. Walt Maddox GOTV Rally Huntsville Rally Richard Showers Rec Center 4600 Blue Spring Road Huntsville AL Sunday, June 3: 2 p.m. Walt Maddox GOTV Rally Bloch Park, Selma 6 p.m. Walt Maddox GOTV Rally Montgomery event Hall street baptist church 700 South hall street Montgomery AL 36104 Monday, June 4: 6 p.m. Walt Maddox GOTV Rally Band of Brother’s Brewing, Tuscaloosa 1605 23rd Ave
No fireworks in Democrats’ final debate for governor
Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls spent their final debate Wednesday focused on policy, instead of taking jabs at each other, as their party seeks a revival in the GOP-dominated state. Former Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, former state legislator James Fields, Doug Smith and Chris Countryman appeared in the Wednesday debate hosted by Alabama Boys State, a civics and leadership program for teens. Alabama has not elected a Democrat to the governor’s office in 20 years, but the candidates — casting an eye toward the November general election — argued Alabama needs a change in leadership. Cobb said the state has been damaged by the “drama and embarrassment” of a series of GOP scandals, including a Republican governor who resigned in the wake of a sex-tinged scandal and a Republican House speaker convicted on ethics charges. “We’ve got to have leaders that will not embarrass us, will do the job and provide the visionary leadership Alabama deserves,” Cobb said. Maddox in his opening statement recalled as a teen hearing then Democratic candidate Paul Hubbert in the 1990 gubernatorial election talk about improving access to health care and education. Twenty-eight years later Alabama remains, “48th, 49th and 50th in everything that matters,” Maddox said. “Alabama is at a crossroads between the past and the future,” Maddox said. In the hour-plus debate, candidates spoke in favor of Medicaid expansion, establishing a state lottery and the need to boost economic opportunities to keep young people from leaving the state. Fields, in response to a question about funding infrastructure, said he opposed raising the tax on gasoline — a measure favored by some politicians in both parties — because he said it would be a tax, “on the poor.” “We are going to put the tax where it needs to be and that’s on property. Folks, poor people don’t own a lot of property but we want to continue to tax the poor,” Fields said. He said he also favored removing the tax on food. Countryman said the state needs to invest in renewable energy sources to curb dependence on fossil fuels. Countryman said he also favored legalization of medical marijuana and to look at the possible legalization for recreational use. Smith, an economist, said the state has stagnated in economic growth. The forum in front of the mostly teen audience was cordial despite contentious moments in earlier debates between Maddox and Cobb. The two are considered the front runners in Tuesday’s primary contest. The winner will face the Republican nominee in November. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
2018 statewide election ad roundup: May 25 edition
The June 5 Republican and Democratic primaries are only 11 days away and Alabama’s candidates have taken to the internet and the airwaves with campaign ads in hopes of swaying Yellowhammer State voters to their side. All of the Republican gubernatorial candidates fought for voter’s attention, with each one rolling out a new ad this week. In true Sue Bell Cobb fashion, Cob rolled out two new ads this week, maintaining her streak for what is now her tenth week in a row. Only Rusty Glover, and Will Ainsworth released new ads in the Lieutenant Governor’s race, while Chess Bedsole, Steve Marshall, and Alice Martin let voters know what’s on their minds. (Hint: it’s corruption) Lone-wolf Jim Zeigler launched his first ad of the 2018 election cycle in the early morning hours last Saturday while tens of thousands of Alabamians were up and watching the royal wedding. Gubernatorial ads Republicans Tommy Battle: Title: Battle For Governor Commercial 2 Published: May 24, 2018 Tone: Encouraging Title: Battle For Governor Commercial 3 Published: May 24, 2018 Tone: Pragmatic Scott Dawson: Title: “The Time is Now” Bus Tour Published: May 24, 2018 Tone: Urgent Bill Hightower: Title: Recycling Published: May 22, 2018 Tone: Contemplative Kay Ivey: Title: Prosperity Published: May 21, 2018 Tone: Optimistic Democrats Sue Bell Cobb: Title: Clean Water is a Human Right Published: May 23, 2018 Tone: Accusing Title: Lifelong Learner Lottery funds Quality Educational Childcare Published: May 24, 2018 Tone: Lighthearted Lieutenant governor ads Republicans Will Ainsworth: Title: Pencil Published: May 22, 2018 Tone: Direct Rusty Glover: Title: “Common Sense” – Rusty Glover for Lieutenant Governor Published: May 22, 2018 Tone: Earnest Title: “Legacy” – Rusty Glover for Lieutenant Governor Published: May 23, 2018 Tone: Virtuous Attorney General ads Republicans Chess Bedsole: Title: Justice Published: May 24, 2018 Tone: Forceful Steve Marshall: Title: Stand Published: May 22, 2018 Tone: Conventional Title: A Principled Conservative Published: May 24, 2018 Tone: Defensive Alice Martin: Title: Stop the Deal-makers Published: May 23, 2018 Tone: Disapproving State Auditor ads Republicans Jim Zeigler: Title: Jim Zeigler – 2018 – State Auditor Published: May 19, 2018 Tone: Assertive
2018 statewide election ad roundup: May 18 edition
The June 5 Republican and Democratic primaries are only 18 days away and Alabama’s candidates have taken to the internet and the airwaves with campaign ads in hopes of swaying Yellowhammer State voters to their side. In the gubernatorial race, only former Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, and Governor Kay Ivey released new ads this week. Ivey released a new radio ad while Cobb continued her campaign tradition; issuing two new ads for the ninth week in a row. Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh introduced just one new ad this week, while Will Ainsworth rolled out the big guns this week introducing 7 new ads in the Lieutenant Governor’s race. Steve Marshall was the only candidate introduce an ad in the Attorney General’s race, and Agriculture Commissioner candidate Gerald Dial released his first television ad this week — with a jingle that will definitely get stuck in your head. Gubernatorial Ads Republicans Kay Ivey: Title: Values Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Principled Democrats Sue Bell Cobb: Title: Fixing Alabama’s D+ Roads Published: May 15, 2018 Tone: Reformative Sue Bell Cobb: Title: #It’sTime an Alabama Governor Cared About Our Healthcare Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Wellness Lieutenant governor ads Republicans Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh: Title: A Proven Leader for Lieutenant Governor Published: May 15, 2018 Tone: Virtuous 1 Will Ainsworth: Title: Brett Stanton on Will’s Fight for Public Education Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Stable Will Ainsworth: Title: Kendall Ainsworth on Will’s Alabama Values Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Familial Will Ainsworth: Title: Chris Lane on Will’s Promise for Alabama’s Natural Resources Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Impassioned Will Ainsworth: Title: Whitney Mastin on Will’s Next Generation Initiative Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Steadfast Will Ainsworth: Title: Jason Satterfield on Will’s Pro-Business Approach Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Dedicated Will Ainsworth: Title: John Mullins on Will’s Drive to Find Meaningful Solutions Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Contributory Will Ainsworth: Title: Judy Miller on Will’s Fight for the Alabama’s Next Generation Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Hopeful Will Ainsworth: Title: Roseanne Mabrey on Will’s School Safety Initiative Published: May 17, 2018 Tone: Optimistic Attorney General ads Republicans Steve Marshall: Title: Mikayla’s Story Published: May 14, 2018 Tone: Dedicated Agriculture Commissioner Republicans Gerald Dial: Title: It’s Dial Time! Published: May 16, 2018 Tone: Joyful
Jailed former Sue Bell Cobb staffer, sex offender Paul Littlejohn now out on bond
Sue Bell Cobb‘s former campaign aide, Paul Littlejohn III was released on bond from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Friday morning on an $11,000 bond the office confirmed to Alabama Today. Littlejohn turned himself in on Friday after the Sheriff’s Department issued an arrest warrant Wednesday after finding him in violation of the state’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). On Wednesday the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department was notified he was in violation of SORNA as he was working as a pastor at Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, which also runs a daycare and is near a school. As a registered sex offender, Littlejohn is prohibited from both living and working near an elementary school or daycare. Littlejohn, is a former inmate at the Draper Correctional Facility in Elmore County where he spent 30 years following his 1984 conviction for three crimes: rape by forcible compulsion, sodomy I and robbery I. Court records indicate Littlejohn was convicted of raping a 20 year old female and sodomizing a 30 year old female. Littlejohn failed to disclose this information to the sex offender registry. Violation of SORNA is considered a felony. Turning himself in at 6:41 p.m. CT on Thursday, Littlejohn was released early the next morning at 1:15 a.m, after his bail of $11,000 was posted. Cobb accepted Littlejohn’s resignation on Friday, but called the charges “politically motivated.” “Why? The Republicans don’t want to run against Sue Bell Cobb. Governor Ivey doesn’t want to run against Sue Bell Cobb. They found that as an opportunity to take advantage of information that had been sent out into the public forum,” Cobb told AL.com. A court date for Littlejohn has yet to be set.
Law enforcement officer suggests Sue Bell Cobb apologize, ask for forgiveness
The chief deputy with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is asking former Alabama Chief Justice and Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Sue Bell Cobb for an apology. Randy Christian, chief deputy with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said Cobb should apologize in the wake of her hiring and defending a campaign staffer, Paul Littlejohn III who was arrested Friday for violating the state’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). “He was doing his job, plain and simple, and doing it well,” Christian said in a statement to AL.com. “How sad that a candidate for governor supports a convicted sex offender over sexual assault victims.” “She also apparently doesn’t support law enforcement doing the difficult job of ensuring through compliance of the sex offender registration law that no other victim comes in harm’s way. That is the sole reason for the law’s creation,” Christian continued. “It’s not just shameful, it’s disgusting desperation on her part. If I’m reading this right, she wanted us to just look the other way. If she has any integrity left, she will apologize to law enforcement, sexual assault victims and ask for forgiveness.” Littlejohn, is a former inmate at the Draper Correctional Facility in Elmore County where he spent 30 years following his 1984 conviction for three crimes: rape by forcible compulsion, sodomy I and robbery I. Court records indicate Littlejohn was convicted of raping a 20 year old female and sodomizing a 30 year old female. On Wednesday the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department was notified he was in violation of SORNA as he was working as a pastor at Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, which also runs a daycare and is near a school. As a registered sex offender, Littlejohn is prohibited from both living and working near an elementary school or daycare. Littlejohn failed to disclose this information to the sex offender registry. Violation of SORNA is considered a felony. Even after Littlejohn’s arrest, Cobb continued to defend him calling the arrest “politically motivated.” Cobb says the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is led by a Republican, and that the arrest was made because Republicans don’t want to face her in the general election.
