Meet Christy Edwards, your presumptive, new Court of Civil Appeals, Place 1 Judge
In the race for Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Place 1, three candidates stepped up to the plate seeking election in the June 5 primary. Judge Christy Edwards and Judge Michelle Thomason both garnered enough support to tip the race into a runoff election in which Edwards took home 54 percent of the vote. Now, facing no Democratic challenger in the November general election, Edwards has presumably won her race and will become Court of Civil Appeals Place 1 Judge in 2019. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Christy Edwards: 1. She’s a judge on the Alabama Tax Court. In 2016 Edwards was appointed to the Alabama Tax Tribunal where she currently serves as a Judge. According to her campaign website, she wants to bring her knowledge of tax laws to bear on the appeals process. “Everyone has to pay taxes – businesses, business owners, consumers and regular people,” Edwards said. “The businesses and the people of this state need a judge who will oversee the tax laws and protect the taxpayers according to all the laws overseen by this court. I will do that.” 2. She’s an award-winning writer and orator. In law school Edwards was the Regional Champion of the American Bar Association’s appellate advocacy competition, Regional Champion and national quarter finalist of the National Best Brief competition, and was named Jones Law School Best Oral Advocate. Her most recent articles have been published in the Journal of Multi-State Taxation and Incentives. 3. She was endorsed by primary opponent Pat Thetford. Primary opponent Pat Thetford endorsed Edwards, saying he believed she is the best candidate for the job and urged his supporters to vote for her in the runoff election. 4. She has two degrees from Alabama. After completing a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Alabama, Edwards earned her Juris Doctorate from Faulkner University Jones School of Law and an LL.M. from the University of Alabama School of Law with a focus on complex state tax laws. 5. She previously served as an Assistant Attorney General. Edwards practiced family and commercial and civil litigation in her own private practice for 2 years after law school. She then was appointed to serve as an attorney for the court of civil appeals before becoming an Assistant Attorney General under then Attorney General Luther Strange in 2011. There, she represented the state in state and local tax disputes in the Alabama Department of Revenue.
Five things you need to know about Jim Zeigler
Incumbent State Auditor Jim Zeigler ran circles around his opponents in the June primary, taking home 55 percent of the vote. But now that the primaries are over, the real battle has begun. Zeigler one again faces Democratic nominee Miranda Joseph in the November 6 general election, creating a bit of a déjà vu for voters as the two ran against one another in 2014. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Jim Zeigler: 1. He’s been Alabama’s state auditor since 2014, and has served in one other state office. Zeigler served on the Alabama Public Service commission in the 1970’s, and after running several unsuccessful campaigns for statewide offices in the early 2000’s, he was elected State Auditor in 2014. Since then he has been working hard: announcing a budget plan to save the state’s park system in 2015 and launching a volunteer-based program within his office to investigate claims of waste, fraud and abuse within Alabama state government, to his most recent quest to solve Alabama’s infrastructure problems; he’s become a public fixture nobody expected. 2. His background is in law and he practiced law for over 20 years. Originally from Sylacauga, Ala., Zeigler earned his JD from the Jones Law Institute at Faulkner University in Montgomery; obtaining his license in 1978. In 1993, he opened his own private practice, practicing as a mediator, arbitrator, and attorney until 2015, when he was elected State Auditor. Zeigler recently voluntarily relinquished his law license, after deciding not to run for Alabama Attorney General. 3. He’s fought hard against government waste while in office and continually seeks to keep Alabama lawmakers in check. The Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT) long contested “bridge to nowhere,” was a battle against wasteful spending Zeigler was willing to fight. Calling on ALDOT’s transportation director John Cooper to answer his questions about the need for an $87 million state-funded bridge project in Baldwin County — which would be a second bridge to Orange Beach, later saying the department needed to redirect funds from the bridge to the Mobile River Bridge and the I-10 Bayway Project. Zeigler has continued to “stir the pot” during his time in office, and seeks to continue what he sees as his job; keeping Alabama legislative officials in check. “I have a plan to turn the State Auditor’s office into a watchman against government mismanagement and waste,” Zeigler told Alabama Today. “It is starting to work.” 4. He was Student Government Association President at the University of Alabama. While in college, Zeigler served as President of the university’s Student Government Association (SGA) from 1970 to 1971. While there, he also served on the Athletic Committee with Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Note: Several members of the Alabama legislature have begun their political careers in universities student government associations. Governor Kay Ivey was a member of the SGA at Auburn University and Secretary of State John Merrill served as President of the University of Alabama’s SGA from 1986 to 1987. 5. He was one of the first legislative officials to file a complaint with the Alabama Ethics Commission regarding former governor Robert Bentley In March of 2016, before former governor Robert Bentley‘s impeachment process began, Zeigler filed a report with the Alabama Ethics Commission requesting they investigate Bentley’s affair with senior advisor Rebekah Caldwell Mason. A frequent critic of Bentley’s Zeigler released a statement saying; “the governor continues to disgrace the state of Alabama, and in my official capacity as state auditor, I am required to report these suspected violations.” Bentley was later impeached for his inappropriate affair with Mason, resigning from office in April of 2017.
Jim Zeigler’s officially done with law. Possibly going back to journalism after leaving auditors office
State Auditor Jim Zeigler is officially not a lawyer anymore. Zeigler, who practiced law for over twenty years, voluntarily relinquished his Alabama Law license in February; saying he plans to work as an investigative reporter when his time in public office ends. He minored in journalism at the University of Alabama, and worked for the Daily Home newspaper in his hometown of Sylacauga in 1973. Zeigler said he held on to the license because he was considering running for Attorney General, but in February when he decided to seek re-election for the State Auditor’s position he felt there was no need for him to retain his law license. “I had held on to the license and paid my dues for four years because there was a possibility I would run for state attorney general this election cycle,” Zeigler told AL.com. “In February, the qualifying deadline, I had to make a decision and ran for reelection as auditor. So, I didn’t need the law license for that reason. I don’t need it for any reason.” Originally from Sylacauga, Ala., Zeigler earned his JD from the Jones Law Institute at Faulkner University in Montgomery; obtaining his license in 1978. In 1993, he opened his own private practice, practicing as a mediator, arbitrator, and attorney until 2015, when he was elected State Auditor. Zeigler faces off against Elliott Lipinsky and Stan Cooke in the June 5 primary on Tuesday.
Donald Trump Jr. to be guest speaker at Faulkner benefit dinner
Donald Trump Jr., businessman, entrepreneur and son of President Donald Trump, will speak Oct. 5 at the Montgomery-based Faulkner University the university announced on Tuesday. University President Mike Williams made the announcement to the press that Trump Jr. would speak at the school’s annual Annual Benefit Dinner at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center. “Donald Trump, Jr. is a giant in the landscape of American Business, and we are extremely excited to have him here in Montgomery,” Williams said. “We are confident that those who attend the benefit dinner will hear an incredibly memorable speech from Mr. Trump.” In the past, Faulkner has brought renowned politicians, journalists, athletes, coaches, comedians and astronauts to speak in Montgomery over the years. Faulkner chose Trump for its 75th anniversary dinner because of his experience in business and his insights from the campaign trail. “Mr. Trump is a conservative who has spent a tremendous amount of time traveling the country learning about a number of important issues including education. He is particularly excited to come to Faulkner to address their students and alumni about the need for conservative viewpoints in higher education,” Williams added. “The insight he has gained into our political system and the American people during his father’s presidential campaign will, no doubt, be fascinating and eye-opening.” Proceeds from the dinner go to support the university, as well as student scholarships. “The Annual Benefit Dinner is our biggest event each year. We love being able to share these great speakers with the River Region, but more than that, we are so excited about the scholarship opportunities this dinner provides for our students,” Williams continued. “The contributions made by the people who attend our benefit dinner are changing the lives of students at Faulkner University.” For tickets call 334-386-7257 or visit Faulkner.edu/Trump.
