Former Rep. John Rogers seeks hearing on allegations he broke plea agreement
Attorney for former Rep. John Rogers, requested a hearing Tuesday to determine whether Rogers broke a plea agreement, as prosecutors allege. Rogers’ attorneys filed an objection to a portion of the plea agreement in June, which federal prosecutors voided the agreement. In filings on Friday and Tuesday, Rogers claimed that he was not aware that an objection had been raised. “Defendant submits that he did not breach the plea agreement,” the filing said. “He did not direct his counsel to file the objection. He was not even aware that defense counsel had filed it.” The former state representative, who served in the Alabama House of Representatives for over 40 years, pleaded guilty in March to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of obstruction of justice over allegations that he diverted $200,000 intended for youth sports programs in Jefferson County to his associates. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors would recommend Rogers serve 14 months of home confinement. But in a filing on June 13, Rogers’ attorneys said that the former representative could not remember making a promise to Valerie Johnson Kindall, a co-defendant, to “take care of personal matters,” as alleged in an indictment filed earlier this year, or to “take care of her children while she is in prison,” as the June filing from Rogers’ attorneys state. Rogers’ attorneys argued that should affect the sentencing for the obstruction charge. In a sentencing report filed on July 10, prosecutors called for 14 months’ imprisonment for Rogers, arguing that he was attacking “the facts supporting his guilty plea.” “Rogers states that he admitted the facts essential to that charge despite not having any memory of the making or timing of the obstructive promise,” prosecutors wrote. “Because the statements in his objections are inconsistent with acceptance of responsibility, the United States exercises the right to declare the Plea Agreement null and void.” Rogers maintains he was not aware that the plea agreement had been challenged. “Defendant should not be punished for any errors or mistakes made by his counsel, especially when he neither directed, participated in, nor was aware of the objection,” the filing stated. According to prosecutors, Rogers worked with Kindall, then Rogers’ personal assistant, and former Rep. Fred Plump, then executive director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League from March 2019 to April 2023 in an arrangement to redirect taxpayer supported funds for charitable purposes to personal accounts. Prosecutors alleged that Rogers allocated significant portions of his annual fund allotment to Piper Davis for kickbacks from Plump, with Kindall’s assistance, and Plump agreed to these terms to receive funds. The three had also allegedly attempted to obstruct justice and Plump warned Kindall about a federal investigation, encouraging her to fabricate evidence. Rogers also allegedly encouraged Kindall to take full responsibility for the crimes in exchange for taking care of her personal affairs. Rogers is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday. This story was published with the permission of Alabama Reflector. The Alabama Reflector is an independent, nonprofit news outlet dedicated to covering state government and politics in the state of Alabama. Through daily coverage and investigative journalism, The Reflector covers decision makers in Montgomery; the issues affecting Alabamians, and potential ways to move our state forward. We’re part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
State Rep. John Rogers remains in jail
State Representative John Rogers (D-Birmingham) was in court in Birmingham on Thursday for a hearing on his alleged violations of his bond. Judge Staci Cornelius sent him back to jail in Cullman, one of the few county jails that houses federal prisoners. Rogers has been accused of violating the terms of his bond by contacting witnesses in his corruption trial. Rogers has been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice with obstruction of justice, accusing the 82-year-old state legislator of attempting to bribe witnesses with state grant dollars if they would lie to federal investigators in the ongoing federal corruption probe and has been charged with obstruction of justice. As part of the agreement of the terms of his bond, Rogers is not supposed to be contacting the witnesses in the case. Federal prosecutors accuse Rogers of violating the terms of his bond by twice attempting to contact witnesses on Facetime. Rogers also identified the previously anonymous witness, James Stewart, in a radio interview, further angering Judge Cornelius. Judge Cornelius has ordered Rogers to remain in jail and has set another hearing for Monday. Rogers maintains his innocence. Rogers’ longtime legislative assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall, has been charged with 21 counts in the ongoing corruption probe. Rogers alleged obstruction charges are related to that ongoing investigation. Rogers reportedly lives with Kindall in Chelsea in Shelby County. According to his September indictment, between 2018 and 2022, Rogers was authorized to spend $500,000 from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund. Rogers was supposed to use that for Jefferson County programs. Rogers, however, appropriated $400,000 of the $500,000 under his control to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League. The League was run by Fred Plump – age 76. Plump, who was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives last year, instead has admitted in his guilty pleading that he then paid $200,000 of that money in illegal kickbacks to Kindall. Kindall reportedly was romantically involved with both Rogers and Plump. In May Plump pleaded guilty, resigned from his office, and has agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors. Travis Hendrix (D) has been elected to represent Plump’s House District 55 seat. Rogers still represents House District 52 – both districts are in Jefferson County. Rogers was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1982. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Birmingham Rep. John Rogers arrested for violating witness contact order
Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, was taken into custody Monday for contacting another person connected to his indictment on obstruction of justice charges. Magistrate Judge Staci G. Cornelius told Rogers, that she “very plainly” and “very clearly” told Rogers that he could not contact anyone associated with the case. She said that when she asked Rogers if he understood her, he “without hesitation,” said yes. Rogers remained quiet throughout the hearing. Rogers pleaded not guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice on allegations that he diverted public money from a youth baseball league to an assistant. Rogers, the longest-serving member of the Alabama House, was released on a $5,000 bond. One of the conditions for being released was that Rogers were not to contact or attempt to contact anyone involved in the case. Carlos Chaverst, a spokesperson Rogers retained during the legal proceedings, said after the hearing that Rogers’ call to Individual #1 was “an honest mistake.” Chaverst identified Individual #1 as George Stewart and said Rogers meant to call his accountant when he asked his phone to call, whose last name is also Stewart. “He called his phone and said, ‘Hey, Facetime Stewart, or call Steward, and the first Stewart that popped up was, unfortunately, one of the witnesses in the case,” Chaverst said. He also said there are four Stewarts in Rogers’ phone but declined to identify the accountant by first name. According to U.S. Assistant Attorney George Martin, Rogers made two Facetime calls that Individual #1, or George Stewart, did not pick up. Individual #1 then notified the FBI that Rogers attempted to contact them. “He’s 82 years old, and we can’t expect an 82-year-old — or I don’t expect an 82-year-old man or woman or anyone to be able to use their cell phone at ease or without issues all the time,” he said. It is not immediately clear where Rogers would be held. Chaverst said there are two places where federal inmates are held in Jefferson County, either the Jefferson County Jail or the Birmingham City Jail. The indictment accuses Rogers, who has served in the Alabama House for over 40 years, of directing hundreds of thousands of dollars for public projects in Jefferson County to a youth baseball league, with a portion of the money being kicked back to Varrie Johnson Kindall, an administrative assistant the indictment accuses Rogers of having a romantic relationship with. Prosecutors also accused Rogers of attempting to convince a person identified as “Individual #1” to give false information to criminal investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) looking into the transactions. Rogers’ indictment came months after former Rep. Fred Plump, D-Fairfield, the director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, pleaded guilty to similar charges over the use of public money. In late May, the Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Plump, a freshman representative, of taking money from the Jefferson County fund under the direction of another Jefferson County legislator identified as “Legislator #1” and kicking back a portion of it to a legislator’s assistant. Rogers said at the time he was “probably” the unnamed “Legislator #1,” but maintained his innocence. According to the indictment, between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022, Rogers received $500,000 from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund for Jefferson County programs. Prosecutors accuse Rogers of moving approximately $400,000 of that discretionary funds to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League. In turn, Plump gave approximately $200,000 to Kindall. Kindall was previously identified as “Individual #1” in Plump’s DOJ charges. Rogers also moved money from the fund to “Organization #1.” The organization founder, “Individual #1,” then gave a portion of that money to Kindall. Rogers has served in the Alabama House since 1982. He ran unopposed in the previous two elections. In 2014, he was challenged by Republican Phillip Bahakel but won with almost 77% of the vote. Rogers is the third representative to face criminal charges this year. Rep. David Cole, R-Huntsville, pleaded guilty to a voting fraud charge and resigned in August after acknowledging he did not live in House district at the time he was elected. The hearing will continue Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Travis Hendrix wins House District 55 race
Travis Hendrix was elected on Tuesday in the House District 55 special Democratic primary runoff election. Hendrix, who grew up in a Birmingham housing project, is a community leader and former school resource officer who now coordinates the Birmingham Police Department’s community projects. “Grateful, District 55! Thrilled to be your representative!” Hendrix said in a statement on Facebook. “This journey has been incredible. Massive thanks to my exceptional team, my family, and all of District 55! I’m here to represent each and every one of you with passion and dedication! Let’s make great things happen together! #District55Celebration #ReadyToServe” Hendrix received the most votes in the primary but not nearly enough to win without a runoff. Hendrix received 2,367 votes (65.12%), while Sylvia Swayne received 1,268 votes (34.88%). 3,635 people voted in the special democratic primary election. Hendrix has a bachelor’s degree from Miles College and a master’s degree from Oakland City University. He studied at Ensley High School and finished with a GED. This election drew a lot of attention largely because of Swayne. If elected, Swayne – a transgender woman – would have been the first transgender elected in the history of Alabama politics. Hendrix had the support of House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), the Alabama Forestry Association, and groups across the state. Swayne’s support leaned heavily on the LGBTQ+ community, with tens of thousands of dollars coming from out of state. This vacancy in the Alabama House of Representatives was due to the resignation of Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfield) after he entered a plea deal in a federal corruption probe that has rocked the Alabama Legislature. The special general election is scheduled for January. That likely won’t even be necessary, as Hendrix has no Republican opponent. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House District 55 Democratic runoff election is Tuesday
Democratic voters go to the polls on Tuesday in the House District 55 special Democratic primary election. Travis Hendrix received the most votes in the primary but not nearly enough to win without a runoff. If elected, Sylvia Swayne would be the first transgender elected in the history of Alabama politics. This vacancy in the Alabama House of Representatives was due to the resignation of Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfield) after he entered a plea deal in a federal corruption probe that has rocked the Alabama Legislature. Hendrix received 670 votes (27.91%) in the crowded Democratic primary field. Swayne came in second with 515 votes (21.45%). Hendrix is a former school resource officer. He has the endorsements of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), the Alabama Forestry Association, and more groups. “I was born and raised in Ensley’s Tuxedo Court Public Housing Community,” Hendrix said on his website. “Today, Tuxedo Terrace housing community stands in place of the old Tuxedo Court, affectionately known as “the Brickyard.” Growing up in this area exposed me to the harsh realities faced by many residents, but it also instilled in me the values of service, sacrifice, and the power of prayer, thanks to the strong influence of my grandmother.” “I pursued my education at Ensley High School and later completed a GED program,” Hendrix continued. “I then attended Miles College and went on to earn my bachelor’s degree. I then furthered my education, and I obtained a master’s degree from Oakland City University. Alongside my educational journey, I take immense pride in being a devoted father, an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and a law enforcement officer. I have served as a school resource officer and on a task force dedicated to the public housing community. I take public safety seriously. Throughout my life, I have consistently pushed beyond established standards and exceeded expectations. I firmly believe that District 55 deserves a leader who possesses both the capabilities and the unwavering determination to advocate for change. I am committed to tirelessly fighting until our shared vision for the community is realized.” Swayne has the support of the LGBTQ+ community, including former State Rep. Patricia Todd. Swayne is extremely popular on TikTok. Swayne is a 2019 graduate of the University of Alabama. “Part of the reason I’m running is this idea that trans people and drag queens and other members of the LGBT community are this threat to society, and that is purely artificially injected into the conversation,” Swayne told Teen Vogue. “Whether or not people support us as trans people is not my concern. My concern is while they’re using the trans community, and the LGBT community at large, to distract all of us, they’re leaving the rest of Alabama behind. We all lose when we engage in divisive politics and pointing fingers at one group while disenfranchising another.” The runoff will likely decide this race, as there was no Republican candidate in the general election. The eventual winner in HD55 will serve for the remainder of Plump’s term and will have to face the voters in 2026 like the rest of the Alabama Legislature. Alabama does not have party registration, and since there was no Republican primary, the crossover voting prohibition does not apply. All registered voters in HD55 may participate in Tuesday’s election. Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Voters must bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls to participate in the election. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Rep. John Rogers pleads not guilty to federal obstruction of justice charges
By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, pleaded not guilty Thursday to two counts of obstruction of justice on Thursday at the Hugo L. Black Federal Courthouse in Birmingham. Rogers was released after being processed by the U.S. Marshals on a $5,000 bond. Prosecutors allege that Rogers diverted public money from a youth baseball league to an assistant. The state representative will need to surrender his passport, but he told Magistrate Judge Staci G. Cornelius Thursday that he had not left the country in 10 years and may not have one. If he is able to find the passport, he is to turn in it to his probation officer. Rogers will be allowed to travel within the state of Alabama because he is still serving as a state representative. Under Alabama law, a conviction or plea to either of the charges would automatically remove Rogers from office. Rogers also may not open any new line of credit as part of the conditions, and he must turn in a gun he previously indicated was lost. “I don’t own a firearm,” he said, interrupting Cornelius as she was reading the terms of the bond, in which it said that he previously owned a firearm but may not know where it is. The indictment accuses Rogers, who has served in the Alabama House for over 40 years, of directing hundreds of thousands of dollars for public projects in Jefferson County to a youth baseball league, with a portion of the money being kicked back to Varrie Johnson Kindall, an administrative assistant the indictment accuses Rogers of having a romantic relationship with. Prosecutors also accused Rogers of attempting to convince a person identified as “Individual #1” to give false information to criminal investigators, with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) looking into the transactions. Rogers has served in the Alabama House for over 40 years. His indictment comes months after former Rep. Fred Plump, D-Fairfield, the director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, pleaded guilty to similar charges over the use of public money. In late May, the Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Plump, a freshman representative, of taking money from the Jefferson County fund under the direction of another Jefferson County legislator identified as “Legislator #1” and kicking back a portion of it to a legislator’s assistant. Rogers said at the time he was “probably” the unnamed “Legislator #1,” but maintained his innocence. According to the indictment, between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022, Rogers was allocated approximately $500,000 by the Jefferson County Community Service Fund for Jefferson County programs. Prosecutors accuse Rogers of moving approximately $400,000 of those discretionary funds to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League. In turn, Plump gave approximately $200,000 to Kindall. Kindall was previously identified as “Individual #1” in Plump’s DOJ charges. Rogers also moved money from the fund to “Organization #1.” The organization founder, “Individual #1,” then gave a portion of that money to Kindall. Rogers has served House District 52, which includes portions of Birmingham, since 1982. He ran unopposed in the previous two elections. In 2014, he was challenged by Republican Phillip Bahakel but won with almost 77% of the vote. Rogers is the third representative to face criminal charges this year. Rep. David Cole, R-Huntsville, pleaded guilty to a voting fraud charge and resigned in August after acknowledging he did not live in the House district at the time he was elected. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
State Rep. John Rogers indicted on obstruction of justice charges
We are still just in the first year of this four-year term, but three of the 105 Alabama House of Representatives members have already been indicted. The latest is State Representative John Rogers (D-Birmingham). The U.S. Attorney’s office in Birmingham announced that Rogers has been indicted on two federal charges of obstruction of justice. Rep. David Cole (R-Madison) pleaded guilty and resigned to voting in the wrong precinct when it was discovered that he ran in 2022 for a seat in a district different from the one where he lives. Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfield) has already been indicted, pleaded guilty, and resigned his House District 55 seat in this same federal corruption case. Plump admits to receiving $400,000 from Rogers in Jefferson County Community Service funds ostensibly to benefit a rec league Coach Plump ran. Instead of using all the money for the children, Plump admits to giving $200,00 to Varrie Johnson Kindall, Rogers’ longtime legislative assistant, who lives in Chelsea. Plump was indicted for both corruption and for obstruction of justice for notifying Kindall of the federal investigation after authorities told him not to. Kindall has been indicted 21 times by federal authorities for her role in this scheme and the effort to cover it up. The federal government alleges that Rogers and Kindall attempted to obstruct justice by offering an unidentified witness additional grant money as a bribe and otherwise trying to corruptly persuade the witness to give false information to federal agents.” Rogers could face as much as 25 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine if convicted. Rogers has denied any wrongdoing. None of Wednesday’s news was unexpected. The Jefferson County Republican Party is already actively recruiting candidates to run for Rogers’ seat, assuming that it will become vacant when he agrees to a guilty plea or is found guilty by a jury of his peers. Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Chris Brown said on Tuesday night that he and Alabama Republican Minority GOP Chairman Phillip Brown are actively looking for a candidate in neighboring House District 52, where Rogers is “tied up in the same corruption scandal as Plump.” If Rogers surrenders his seat or is removed upon conviction, Governor Kay Ivey will call a special election to fill the vacancy. The special Democratic primary for Plump’s HD55 seat was held just Tuesday. “We don’t know that there is going to be an opening (in HD52), but we want to be ready if there is,” Chris Brown said. Rogers has, to this point, denied any wrongdoing. He is 83 years old and served in the Alabama House of Representatives for the last 42 years. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sylvia Swayne and Travis Hendrix advance to Democratic runoff in House District 55
Democratic voters went to the polls on Tuesday in the House District 55 special Democratic primary, and Travis Hendrix received the most votes. Sylvia Swayne narrowly beat out Phyllis E. Holden-Jones for second place and a spot in the special Democratic primary runoff on October 24. This vacancy in the Alabama House of Representatives was due to the resignation of Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfield) after he entered a plea deal in a federal corruption probe that has rocked the Alabama Legislature. Travis Hendrix received 670 votes (27.91%) in this crowded Democratic primary field. Sylvia Swayne had 515 votes (21.45%), earning her a spot in the runoff by just 30 votes. Oden-Jones received 485 votes (20.20%) in her third-place finish. Cara McClure received 364 votes (15.16%). Ves Marable received 180 votes (7.50%). Former Tarrant Mayor Kenneth Coachman received 106 votes (4.41%). Antwon Bernard Womack received 81 votes (3.37%). These are the preliminary vote counts available from the Secretary of State’s office when Alabama Today went to print and are subject to change. The provisional ballots still have to be considered, so the vote totals could change. Hendrix is a former school resource officer. He has the endorsements of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), the Alabama Forestry Association, and more groups. “I was born and raised in Ensley’s Tuxedo Court Public Housing Community,” Hendrix said on his website. “Today, Tuxedo Terrace housing community stands in place of the old Tuxedo Court, affectionately known as “the Brickyard.” Growing up in this area exposed me to the harsh realities faced by many residents, but it also instilled in me the values of service, sacrifice, and the power of prayer, thanks to the strong influence of my grandmother.” “I pursued my education at Ensley High School and later completed a GED program,” Hendrix continued. “I then attended Miles College and went on to earn my bachelor’s degree. I then furthered my education, and I obtained a master’s degree from Oakland City University. Alongside my educational journey, I take immense pride in being a devoted father, an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and a law enforcement officer. I have served as a school resource officer and on a task force dedicated to the public housing community. I take public safety seriously. Throughout my life, I have consistently pushed beyond established standards and exceeded expectations. I firmly believe that District 55 deserves a leader who possesses both the capabilities and the unwavering determination to advocate for change. I am committed to tirelessly fighting until our shared vision for the community is realized.” Swayne was the only white candidate in the crowded primary field and, if elected, would be the only openly trans person to ever be elected in the state of Alabama. Swayne has the support of the LGBTQ+ community, including former State Rep. Patricia Todd. Swayne is extremely popular on TikTok. Swayne is a 2019 graduate of the University of Alabama. “Part of the reason I’m running is this idea that trans people and drag queens and other members of the LGBT community are this threat to society, and that is purely artificially injected into the conversation,” Swayne told Teen Vogue. “Whether or not people support us as trans people is not my concern. My concern is while they’re using the trans community, and the LGBT community at large, to distract all of us, they’re leaving the rest of Alabama behind. We all lose when we engage in divisive politics and pointing fingers at one group while disenfranchising another.” The October 24 Democratic primary runoff will likely decide this race. There was no special Republican primary in HD55, and there was no Republican candidate in the general election. Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Chris Brown said on Tuesday night at the Jefferson County GOP meeting in Homewood, “We tried to recruit a candidate” and couldn’t. Brown and Republican Minority GOP Chairman Phillip Brown said Tuesday night that they met with a prospective candidate they tried to recruit but failed to convince him to run in the heavily Democratic majority-minority district. They told executive committee members that they are actively looking for a candidate in neighboring House District 52, where the incumbent is John Rogers (D-Birmingham) is 83 years old and “tied up in the same corruption scandal as Plump.” Plump has admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in community improvement grants for a rec league that he ran from Rogers. Plump admitted then paying roughly half of that money to Rogers’ longtime legislative assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall, with whom he claims was romantically involved. Ms. Kindall is facing 21 federal indictments for her role in this alleged corruption conspiracy. “We don’t know that there is going to be an opening (in HD52), but we want to be ready if there is,” Chris Brown said. At this point, Rep. Rogers has not been indicted and has denied any wrongdoing. The eventual winner in HD55 will serve for the remainder of Plump’s term and will have to face the voters in 2026 like the rest of the Alabama Legislature. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Meet the candidates running in the House District 16 special election
by Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector With about a week left before the special primary election for House District 16, candidates in the crowded field are preparing to go head-to-head when voters cast their ballots on September 26. Five Republicans will compete for the party nomination, and if none of the candidates win at least 50% of the vote, a runoff for the two top candidates will be held on October 24. The district takes in Fayette County in north central Alabama, as well as northern Tuscaloosa County and western Jefferson County. The candidate who wins — either with 50% in the primary or in the runoff — will face Democratic candidate John Underwood in the General Election for the seat in January. Former Rep. Kyle South, R-Fayette, who assumed office in 2014, stepped down June 30 to become the CEO of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce as CEO. During his time in the Alabama House of Representatives, he served as vice chair for the Ways and Means General Fund and was a member of several other committees. South won House District 16 with 75% of the vote in 2014. He ran unopposed in 2018 and 2022. A special runoff, if necessary, is scheduled for October 24. The special general election will be held on January 9, 2024. The special primary election for House District 55, which Rep. Fred Plump, D-Fairfield, resigned in May after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, will be held on the same day. The Candidates Brad Cox Brad Cox, Republican candidate for House District 16. Age: 33 Residence: Fayette Occupation: Banker at Alabama ONE Credit Union. Before, Cox was a high school teacher. Education: B.S., Agricultural Education, Auburn University, 2012; M.A., Agricultural Education, Auburn University, 2013. Party: Republican Previous political experience/campaign: Fayette County Commissioner, District 1, 2021-present. Fundraising: Cox has raised $47,544 and spent $38,185 as of September 15. Cox is the candidate with the most contributions from PACs, totaling $33,000 from 13 PACs. His largest contributors are Alabama Voice of Teachers for Education (AVOTE), a PAC affiliated with the Alabama Education Association, and the Alabama Credit Union Legislative Action Council. Each donated $5,000. Cox said that it’s time for young, conservative Republicans to “step up to the plate and throw their hat in the ring.” He said that he’s passionate about public service, and he feels that his set of personal and professional experience will complement the position. Citing his prior experience as a high school teacher, Cox said he wants to expand tech training for young Alabamians. By training young folks for high-paying, tech jobs, he hopes to keep young talent in his district and in Fayette County, which reported population losses in the 2010 and 2020 censuses. “As I’ve knocked on doors, met with stakeholders in the communities, it’s a lot of gray hair, and in a lot of ways, that’s good, but I think we’ve got to expand and grow our industry and job opportunities for people in this district,” Cox said. He also said that infrastructure has been at the forefront as a county commissioner, which he said feeds into another priority for his campaign: business development. “A lot of the time, rural Alabama kind of gets left out of the equation with funding and infrastructure projects. In my eyes, if we want to recruit business and industry to this area, we’ve got to have infrastructure,” he said. Greg Fanin Greg Fanin, Republican candidate for House District 16. Age: 54 Residence: Berry Occupation: Retired munitions and ordnance specialist with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. Education: B.S., Public Administration, Samford University, 1994; Associate’s degree in munitions and ordnance from the Community College of the Air Force, 1998. Party: Republican Previous political experience/campaign: First-time candidate for political office. Fundraising: Fanin has raised $27,371, with $23,000 coming from Fanin. As of September 8, he spent $24,938. As a retired veteran, Fanin said he has the capacity to put his focus entirely on serving the district. He wants to see an industrial park, an area meant to attract investment and create employment, and for continued infrastructure projects on U.S. Highway 43 and State Route 13, two of the major roads running through Fayette. “We’ve got to have folks. We’ve got to have those roads widened. We got to, or it’s going to be unsafe,” he said. Besides infrastructure, Fanin sees workforce development as his district’s greatest need. He said there is a coal mine coming to Fayette County that has the potential to bring in a significant amount of jobs, and building infrastructure will support workforce development. “We’ve got the jobs opening up every day,” he said. “We need infrastructure because our little towns and our communities are going to be booming.” He said that to get these things done; the district needs someone who can dedicate their full time to working in Montgomery, which he said he is able to do. He said that other candidates have at least one job and asked, “When do you have time to do anything?” Floyd Rodgers, Jr. Floyd Rogers Jr., Republican candidate for House District 16. Age: 40 Residence: Fayette Occupations: Coordinator, Alabama Communities of Excellence for the City of Fayette, a program from the Alabama League of Municipalities, an association of cities and towns; minister; business owner. Education: Technical certificate in quality assurance supervision from Southwest Tennessee Community College, 2010; Church leadership certificate in biblical ministry from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2021. Party: Republican Previous political experience/campaigns: Candidate, Fayette City Council Ward 2, 2020. Fundraising: As of September 15, Rodgers had not submitted campaign finance reports. Rodgers said that he often feels like the elephant in the room. People often tell him they don’t see many Black Republicans, and among his peers, he’s often the only conservative in the room. But he sees that as an opportunity to “connect with everyone, on every level.” He said from conversations he’s had with voters, people are tired of
Longtime legislative assistant to John Rogers indicted 21 times in federal corruption probe
A longtime assistant to State Representative John Rogers (D-Birmingham) has been indicted on 21 federal charges in an ongoing corruption probe that has already led to the conviction of then-State Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfied). Varrie Johnson Kindall is 58 years old and lives in Chelsea. Plump is the founder and executive director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and obstruction of justice in federal court in Birmingham. Plump resigned his seat in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 31 as part of his plea deal with federal prosecutors. Plump, age 76, admits to having taken about $200,000 of the $400,000 that was allocated to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League by Rep. Rogers before Plump was elected to the legislature. That money was then allocated to “Coach” Plump by Rep. Rogers for the rec league that Plump ran. Plump, in his plea agreement, says that he gave that money to Mrs. Kindall, with whom he claims to have been romantically involved. “Plump understood that if he did not give half of the money to them, Legislator #1 would not direct Fund money to Piper Davis,” prosecutors wrote. The payments took place between 2018 and 2022 before Plump took office. In 2022, Plump challenged veteran incumbent Rep. Rod Scott (D-Fairfield) with the help of Rogers and other Democratic lawmakers who accused Scott of working across the aisle with Republicans too much. Plump narrowly defeated Scott in the Democratic primary runoff. Prosecutors claim that after Plump was informed by federal agents that there was a probe underway, prosecutors claim Plump tried to obstruct the investigation by texting Kindall and giving her a “red alert” about the investigation even though he was warned not to disclose these facts. Plump will be sentenced for his role in this scandal on October 23. Prosecutors are recommending a more lenient sentence as part of his cooperation in the plea deal. Kindall is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, two counts of obstruction of justice, one count of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, according to the indictment Thursday. Plump pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of obstruction of justice. Rogers has denied being involved in any illegal activity. Rogers has identified himself as the unnamed legislator mentioned in the Plump court documents. Kindall is already facing federal charges for allegedly collecting federal retirements on both of her parents for years after they were already dead. Kindall is being defended by noted trial attorney Jim Parkman. The special Democratic primary in Coach Plump’s vacant House District 55 is scheduled for Tuesday, September 26. Kenneth Coachman, Travis Hendrix, Ves Marable, Cara McClure, Phyllis Oden-Jones, Sylvia Swayne, and Antwon Womack are all running for the open House seat. No Republican qualified to run for the seat. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
David Cole pleads guilty and resigns from the state legislature
On Thursday, embattled state legislator David Cole resigned from office and signed a plea deal admitting guilt. Cole was arrested on Tuesday for voter fraud, having voted at an unauthorized location or location. Thursday’s plea agreement ends a year of charges, legal drama, and denials of charges that ultimately appear now to be true. Cole, a Republican, was elected in 2022 to represent House District 10 in Madison County. It has been alleged by his political opponents that Cole, a Huntsville doctor, did not live in House District 10 – an allegation that he strenuously denied even though he owns a house outside of the district. Cole claimed that he leased a house from a friend. This issue has been in litigation for months as his Libertarian opponent, Elijah Boyd, challenged Cole’s residency. On Tuesday, Cole was arrested and charged with fraud-voting at multiple or unauthorized locations. That is a Class C felony. Coles was booked into the Madison County Jail but was later released on a $2,500 bond. According to court documents, Cole “did knowingly vote in the November 8, 2022, general election at a polling police where he had not been authorized to vote, to wit: within the boundaries of Alabama House District 10…” Cole claimed in the primary election that he leased a 25-square-foot area in the friend’s house for just $5 a month. Cole later produced a lease agreement claiming that he leased the whole house. By the time of the general election, he again changed his registration, claiming that he lived in an apartment in District 10. All this time, the house outside of the district that he owned was not sold. Cole then reportedly voted at the polling place for that address. He now apparently admits in the plea agreement that his vote in November was fraudulent, and so were the filing papers he signed when he qualified with the Alabama Republican Party to run for the District 10 seat to begin with. Cole will reportedly agree to accept a three-year prison sentence that will be split into a 60-day sentence in the Madison County jail, with the remainder being served in unsupervised probation. As a condition to this plea deal, Cole has agreed to resign from office and surrender any money that he made as a state legislator. In the coming days, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey will announce the dates for the special election to fill the vacancy in House District 10. Already we are hearing names of prominent Republicans who are seeking support for a run to fill the sudden vacancy. In 2022, the Madison County Democratic Party targeted HD10 as a rare GOP seat that they felt they could realistically expect to flip. Despite this, Cole prevailed in the November general election with 51.6% of the vote (7,581 votes). Democrat Marilyn Lands received 45.0% of the vote (6,608 votes), and Libertarian Elijah Boyd received just 3.4% of the vote (503 votes). Cole is the second member of the House of Representatives to plead guilty to criminal deeds this year. Democrat Fred Plump in Birmingham was the other. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Republican Party qualifying for Alabama House Special Elections opens July 17
The Alabama Republican Party announced on Tuesday that qualifying for the Alabama Republican Party Special Election Primaries in Alabama House of Representatives Districts 16 and 55 will not open until Monday, July 17, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. CDT. The qualifying period will end a week later, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. CDT. The Alabama Republican Party advises anyone wishing to qualify for the Republican ballot can do so online at www.algop.org or in person at ALGOP headquarters (3505 Lorna Road in Hoover during the qualifying period. You can also receive more information about the qualifying process by calling ALGOP headquarters at 205.212.5900. To qualify for either seat with the Alabama Democratic Party, call their headquarters in Montgomery at 334 262-2221. The Special Election Primary for both seats will be held on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. The deadline for all independent candidates and/or minor parties to turn in their qualifying paperwork, including ballot access petitions to the Secretary of State’s office is Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. If a Republican or Democratic run-off election is needed, it will be held on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. The General Election will take place on January 9, 2024. The seat in House District 16 covers portions of Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, and Fayette Counties. It became vacant when Rep. Kyle South – a Republican ‘ became the President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama. House District 55 is located in Jefferson County. The seat became open when Rep. Fred Plump – a Democrat – resigned after pleading guilty to federal wire fraud conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. Before the two vacancies, the composition of the Alabama House of Representatives was 77 to 28, with Republicans holding a filibuster-proof super majority. There are currently no independents or minor party candidates holding office in either House of the Alabama Legislature. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
