Jim Zeigler asks legal fees be halted until Robert Bentley impeachment resumes
Alabama Auditor Jim Zeigler has asked the state’s Contract Review Committee to delay a contract for legal services for the impeachment investigation of Gov. Robert Bentley. The investigation was halted at the request of then-attorney general Luther Strange on Nov. 3. Zeigler says the proposed $160,000 contract would be an additional payment to the Birmingham law firm of Lightfoot Franklin & White LLC for its outside representation and doesn’t need to be paid until the impeachment investigation resumes. If paid, the contract would make the total legal payments to investigate the governor total $350,000. The contract review panel is scheduled to Thursday, March 2 to review proposed contracts from state agencies. “Right now, the people of Alabama are being hit with costs of an impeachment investigation, but no investigation is being done. All cost – no investigation. That is unacceptable,” Zeigler said Tuesday. “Please delay approval of this contract until the impeachment is actually resumed. It is frustrating for the people of Alabama that the impeachment investigation has been halted but the legal cost to taxpayers is continuing. New Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has confirmed Bentley is still under investigation, recused himself accordingly, and appointed former Montgomery District Attorney Ellen Brooks as special prosecutor. “The continuing legal cost is concerning because the impeachment investigation is not continuing,” Zeigler continued. “House Judiciary Chairman, Rep. Mike Jones, said on Feb. 15 that he is waiting on clearance from new Special Prosecutor Ellen Brooks for the impeachment investigation to resume.” The House impeachment investigation began in the 2016 legislative session when 23 House members signed an impeachment resolution. It was referred to the House Judiciary Committee and made little progress before Chairman Jones halted it at the request of Strange Nov. 3. Below is Zeigler’s request to the Contract Review Committee.
State Auditor Jim Zeigler asks panel to delay $8M contract for Medicaid RCOs
Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler is asking for yet another Medicaid contract delay. On Tuesday, Zeigler asked the Alabama Legislature’s Contract Review Committee to delay a contract for $8 million in consulting services for implementation of the regional care organizations (RCOs) to deliver Medicaid healthcare. Zeigler said the contract needs to be scrapped, and has filed a written request for the maximum delay of 45 days to allow such action. “This huge consulting cost needs substantial review by all in authority,” Zeigler explained of his request. “A contract of this size does not need to be approved and should be scrutinized and scrapped.” Medicaid is seeking to pay $8 million to the Chicago firm of Navigant Consulting for implementing the new system of private providers in each area of Alabama instead of the present statewide administration by the state Medicaid agency. Zeigler continued, “It appears that the plan for regional care organizations as now formatted will cost the state millions instead of saving the state millions. This plan needs to be halted now, before millions are spent in the implementation stage. Approval of this contract would be throwing good money in front of bad.” Designed to be the state’s solution to the perennial problem of rising costs of Medicaid, RCOs have become a controversial topic in the Yellowhammer State this year. Last month, Zeigler filed a separate request for another delay of a controversial $1.3 million contract. The Committee approved the request for delay. The review panel will meet Thursday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. to review proposed contracts from state agencies, and will consider Zeigler’s request then. Below is a copy of Zeigler’s Nov. 1 request to the Contract Review Committee:
State to pay lawyers up to $200,000 in lawsuit against Robert Bentley
The state will pay outside legal counsel up to $200,000 to represent Gov. Robert Bentley and his law enforcement chief in a wrongful termination lawsuit brought by the governor’s fired secretary of law enforcement. The legislative Contract Review Committee will review the contracts Thursday. The governor’s office has proposed to pay a private law firm up to $100,000 to represent Bentley. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency will pay up to $100,000 to represent Law Enforcement Secretary Stan Stabler. Former Secretary Spencer Collier in April filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against Bentley, Stabler and former Bentley adviser Rebekah Mason. Bentley has said Collier’s dismissal came after an internal investigation about the possible misuse of state funds. Collier accused Bentley and Mason of having an affair. Bentley denied having a “sexual affair.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
