Pell City holds annual law enforcement appreciation luncheon
The City of Pell City recently held its annual law enforcement appreciation luncheon sponsored by Metro Bank owner Annette Cox. The annual event was held at the Pell City municipal complex. Cox expressed her pleasure at being able to host this event to honor the members of law enforcement in the community. The annual event honors law enforcement for making Pell City and St. Clair County a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The luncheon featured steak entrees with a wide selection of cakes for desserts. St. Clair County Commission President Stan Bateman (R) said, “This community is so special. Metro Bank and Ms. Annette Cox steps up and does this every year to show all of our appreciation of what you in law enforcement do for our community. If you drive around the county and see all the commercial development that’s going on, if you will look at the sign in front of the project Metro Bank is the one providing the financing for a lot of it. I want to give Metro Bank a round of applause.” Bateman spent his career law in enforcement, having spent decades as a game enforcement officer for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). Bateman said that the biggest change he has seen since his early days in law enforcement is the adoption of technology. “I didn’t have any of the technology and tools that you have today,” Bateman said. “In my day, I just had to recognize people by the back of their heads.” Members of the Pell City Police Department and St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department were on hand to be honored. Several dignitaries were present including Associate Alabama Supreme Court Justice Sarah Stewart. Stewart, who was being escorted that day on a tour of St. Clair Counties by St. Clair County Presiding Judge Phil Seay, expressed her support for the law enforcement community and all that they do for the people of Alabama. Stewart is a candidate for the Republican nomination for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Stewart faces two Republican opponents in the March 5 Republican primary: former State Senator Bryan Taylor and Jerry Michael Blevins. The eventual Republican nominee for Chief Justice will face Democratic nominee Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin in the November 5 general election. State Sen. Lance Bell (R-Pell City), State Representative Randy Wood (R-Anniston), Rep. Craig Lipscomb (R-Gadsden), Rep. Jim Hill (R-Odenville), Probate Judge Andrew Weathington, Commissioner Ricky Parker, Commissioner Bob Mize, Commissioner Tommy Bowers, Sheriff Billy Murray, Circuit Judge Bill Weathington, St. Clair County School Board President Bill Morris, Revenue Commissioner Ken Crowe, Circuit Clerk Kathryn Burke, St. Clair County Republican Party Chairman Deputy Freddy Turrentine, St. Clair County Young Republican Chairman Logan Glass, and former St. Clair County Republican Party Chairman Joey Stevens. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
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
Bryan Taylor receives endorsements from veteran GOP district attorneys
Former State Senator Bryan Taylor (R) announced on Tuesday endorsements from three Republican prosecutors. David Barber and Brandon Falls, both former DAs for Jefferson County, as well as Randall Houston, former DA for Autauga, Elmore, and Chilton Counties, have endorsed Taylor’s campaign for Chief Justice. “I’ve known him for over a decade, and I can say without a doubt that there is no better Republican candidate for Chief Justice than Bryan Taylor,” said Barber. Barber served more than 23 years as Jefferson County’s District Attorney. “Bryan Taylor is a former prosecutor, a conservative stalwart, and a principled believer in the rule of law,” Barber added. “I’m proud to support Bryan Taylor for Chief Justice because I’m witness to his tireless work ethic, his conservative philosophy, and his devotion to upholding the law and the Constitution as written.” Brandon Falls succeeded Barber as Jefferson County DA in 2008 and served over eight years in that role. “Bryan Taylor is fearless, and that’s the kind of Chief Justice we need right now,” Falls said. “I support Bryan because Alabama deserves a Chief Justice who understands the job and the needs of prosecutors, who has been in the trenches, and who has a record of holding criminals accountable under the law.” Randall Houston served 32 years as the DA for the 19th Judicial Circuit, which covers Autauga, Elmore, and Chilton Counties. Taylor represented Houston’s community when Taylor served in the Alabama State Senate from 2010 to 2014. “I know Bryan Taylor is a stalwart supporter of law enforcement and an unrelenting advocate for crime victims,” Houston said. “Whenever we came to him with a need—for more resources or for strengthening the law—district attorneys could always count on Bryan Taylor to get it right,” Houston added. “He has a profound respect for the Separation of Powers and will faithfully apply the law as written and not legislate from the bench.” Houston recalled that as a state senator, after a series of three tragic deaths caused by drunk boaters on Alabama lakes, Taylor strengthened the law, allowing DAs to seek the same felony penalties for homicides caused by drunk boating that apply to vehicular DUI homicides. He said Taylor also advanced legislation increasing compensation for victims of violent crime. As Governor Kay Ivey’s chief legal advisor from 2017 to 2019, Taylor spearheaded the governor’s investigation and overhaul of the state’s Pardons and Paroles Board after Jimmy O’Neal Spencer committed a triple homicide in Guntersville while on parole under the Board’s supervision. Taylor is an Iraq War veteran and former military prosecutor. As a state senator, he spearheaded passage of the state’s first Uniform Code of Military Justice. Taylor also introduced legislation to crack down on the state’s illegal casinos after casino owners were federally prosecuted for bribery. That made him a lot of enemies in Montgomery. Illegal gambling bosses continue to operate at least 30 illegal gambling operations in open defiance of the Alabama Constitution and state law by making large campaign contributions to politicians from both political parties, including judges, sheriffs, and legislators. Taylor also played a major role in writing and enacting sweeping reforms to strengthen the state’s ethics laws, including a bill to make it a crime for public officials to accept lavish gifts, meals, or junkets from lobbyists. There is an ongoing effort underway to weaken those 2010 ethics laws. Taylor is a founding member of the law firm of Bachus Brom & Taylor, with a concentration in appellate and constitutional law, election law, business law, and civil litigation. Taylor lives in Shelby County with his three children, where they attend Double Oak Community Church. Current Chief Justice Tom Parker (R) is prevented from running for another term because of Alabama’s archaic age limits on judges. Associate Justice Sara Stewart (R) has also qualified to run for Chief Justice. Greg Griffin has qualified to run as a Democrat for Chief Justice. The major party primaries are on March 5. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
“If voting is not secure then nothing is secure,” attorney states after vote counting machine lawsuit is dismissed
On Friday afternoon, Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin dismissed a lawsuit challenging the state of Alabama’s use of vote counting machines. He also dismissed a motion by the plaintiffs in the case for a preliminary injunction that would have led to the hand-counting of ballots in the general election on November 8. The plaintiffs released a statement afterward lamenting Judge Griffin’s decision to dismiss their lawsuit. “Steve Marshall, John Merrill, and the members of the electronic voting committee were provided a video of an electronic voting machine counting counterfeit ballots,” said plaintiffs’ attorney Melissa Isaak in a statement. “It was irrefutable that the machines were not functioning properly, and there has been no concern shown from any of these elected officials.” “In May of this year, John Merrill said that the “hardened” stand-alone computers used in the election “cannot be connected to the internet.” This was shown in court to be false as Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity was specifically requested in Merrill’s own purchase orders,” Isaak continued. “Plaintiffs presented the world’s top cyber security experts who testified that Alabama’s electronic voting systems are NOT secure, and even if not connected to the internet, they can still be hacked.” “We showed without dispute or opposition that the voting equipment to be used in the 2022 primary did not work properly but accepted fake ballots,” plaintiffs’ attorney Jay Hinton said. “Yet, the state used them anyway. We will continue to fight for all Alabama voters to make sure that their votes are ‘counted’ in a constitutional way.” “Voter security is the most important issue of our time. If voting is not secure – then nothing is secure,” said plaintiffs’ attorney Phillip Jauregui said. “We brought our nation’s best experts into court, and they proved that our voting systems are insecure, uncertified, and accept fake ballots. We believe the Alabama Supreme Court will apply the law to the shocking facts in this case and protect our voting rights.” Jauregui’s comments suggest that the plaintiffs intend to appeal Judge Griffin’s ruling. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit were Focus on America, former gubernatorial candidate Lindy Blanchard, State Rep. Tommy Hanes, and Dr. David Calderwood. Blanchard later stepped away from the lawsuit, suggesting that write-in gubernatorial candidates were using the lawsuit as a vehicle to promote their campaigns. Blanchard emphasized that she supports the whole Republican ticket. “I’m very disappointed in Judge Griffin’s ruling,” stated Rebecca Rogers of Focus on America. “He could have taken an epic stand for election integrity, but he chose to support the status quo instead.” “We presented evidence at the August 30 hearing that Alabama’s voting machines are vulnerable to hacking,” Rogers continued. “We know that at least some machines misread copied ballots as valid because that’s been shown to happen. With all the controversy surrounding elections today, we were asking the Judge to rule in favor of a method of counting that’s been used for centuries to give honest results–hand counting the ballots. Apparently, Judge Griffin accepted the State’s assurances that all was well and that there wasn’t anything to see here with our election machines.” Marshall, who is defending the state, asked that the case be dismissed. In the ruling, Griffin stated, “Plaintiffs fail to establish irreparable harm because their alleged injury is speculative. Further, the named Plaintiffs have failed to offer any testimony—whether by declaration or live at the hearing—to substantiate any allegations regarding their own circumstances. And without such evidence, Plaintiff has not met their burden to show that they themselves would suffer immediate and irreparable injury.” The Secretary of State’s office maintains that Alabama has the most secure voting system in the country. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Court dismisses vote counting machine lawsuit
Friday, Montgomery Judge Greg Griffin issued an order dismissing a lawsuit seeking to block the use of vote counting machines in the November 8 general election. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sought to dismiss the lawsuit against the state. The plaintiffs asked for a preliminary injunction to block the use of the vote counting machine. Judge Griffin allowed both sides to prevent evidence supporting their motions but ultimately found in favor of the State of Alabama. On Friday, Judge Griffin granted the State’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit and rejected the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction to halt the use of the voting machines. “Plaintiffs’ suit is due to be DISMISSED, and the Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction is due to be DENIED,” Judge Griffin wrote in his decision. “As to the Motion to Dismiss, this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction because Plaintiffs have alleged only a speculative injury that does not support standing. The Court additionally lacks subject matter jurisdiction because Plaintiffs’ alleged injuries are neither traceable to nor redressable by Defendants, because sovereign immunity pursuant to § 14 of the Alabama Constitution bars this suit, and because the jurisdiction-stripping statute bars this suit. This Court holds that even if it were to reach the merits, it would find that Plaintiffs fail to state a claim. Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction is denied as moot. This Court finds that if it reached the Motion for Preliminary Injunction, it would be denied because Plaintiffs failed to meet the four required elements of a party seeking a preliminary injunction to which no preliminary injunction can issue. Plaintiffs have a higher burden than usual because they seek a mandatory preliminary injunction that would change the status quo.” “Plaintiffs fail to establish irreparable harm because their alleged injury is speculative,” Griffin wrote in his final judgment. “Further, the named Plaintiffs have failed to offer any testimony—whether by declaration or live at the hearing—to substantiate any allegations regarding their own circumstances. And without such evidence, Plaintiff has not met their burden to show that they themselves would suffer immediate and irreparable injury. Additionally, Plaintiffs have not shown that they are likely to prevail on the merits, and they have not shown that the balance of equities weighs in their favor given the significant financial and administrative burdens that their requested relief would impose and given that the 2022 General Election is only 59 days away.” Judge Griffin dismissed the case with prejudice. The case was brought by former Republican gubernatorial candidate Lynda Blanchard, State Rep. Tommy Hanes, Focus on America, and Dr. David Calderwood. Blanchard dropped out of the case and was replaced by former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. The case was supported by lawyers for Mike Lindell. The My Pillow founder and CEO has claimed that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from then President Donald J. Trump. Blanchard said that she supported “the whole Republican ticket” and that the case was being used to promote write-in campaigns. Both Dean Odle and Jared Budlong are running write-in campaigns. Alabama Today spoke with Alabama Secretary of State John H. Merrill, the lead defendant in the case, following the Judge’s ruling. “28 and 0,” Merrill said, referring to the number of court challenges that the Secretary of State’s office has defeated in his tenure as Secretary of State. “This proves once again that we have the most dependable, the most reliable, and the most accountable election system in the country, and that has been verified by three different independent groups as well as by the courts. The only people who have not accepted that are those groups who have agendas to promote.” The state will use vote counting machines in the November 8 general election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Huntsville is Alabama’s largest city
Huntsville has rocketed past Birmingham as Alabama’s largest city. It is not named the Rocket City for nothing. The Census Bureau had been predicting this amazing boom in population in the Madison (Huntsville)/Limestone area, but the actual figures recently released reveal a bigger growth than expected. Huntsville grew by 20% or 35,000 people and is now a little over 215,000. On the other hand, Birmingham shrank by 12,000 or 5% to 201,000 people. Montgomery held its own, and Montgomery and Birmingham are actually in a virtual tie for second at around 200,000. Mobile shrank to 187,000 and is now the smallest of the “big four” cities in the state. Our big four cities of Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile are all led by sterling mayors. Birmingham’s mayor, Randall Woodfin, and Mobile’s mayor, Sandy Stimpson, both won overwhelming reelection victories in late August elections. Mayor Woodfin won a very impressive reelection landslide victory on August 24. Woodfin garnered an amazing 65% of the vote against seven opponents. He won his first race for mayor four years ago, the old-fashioned way. He went door-to-door and knocked on an estimated 50,000 doors. He followed up this year by running one of the most picture-perfect campaigns in modern times. He again had a stellar grassroots campaign with a host of volunteers that knocked on an estimated 80,000 doors. Mayor Woodfin and his team are brilliantly adapting to the modern politics of using social media, yet he adroitly employs the old-school politics of mainstream television, traditional media, and getting out the vote. The initial polling on the mayoral race indicated that Woodfin could probably win reelection without a runoff, but nobody saw the 65% final result figure. I am convinced that the ad firm that designed his televisions ads garnered him a 12% boost from 53% to 65% with an ad using his mother. The ad featured Mama Woodfin asking her friends and neighbors in Birmingham to vote for her boy. She was a superstar. Mobile Mayor Stimpson also won an impressive 63% reelection victory on August 24. He was elected to his third term. Stimpson is a successful businessman from an old silk stocking Mobile family. He is doing the job as a civic duty. Mobilians must think he is doing a good job. Stimpson ran a positive campaign and spent a lot of money. Stimpson will be entering his third four-year term as mayor of the Port City. On election night, he indicated that this may be his last hurrah, noting that he will be 73 in 2025 and may be ready to hand over the reins. Huntsville’s mayor, Tommy Battle, won an impressive reelection last year. Montgomery mayor Steven Reed also won a very impressive first term election in 2020. The mayors of our four major cities are indeed popular. There is another dynamic developing in our state. The Morehouse College Degree and experience has become the standard of success among the new African American leaders in the state. It seems that this traditional historic college in Atlanta is where our elite leaders are spawned. The leadership of Montgomery are all products of this proud institution of higher learning. It is truly a powerfully bonded fraternity. Mayor Steven Reed, State Senator Kirk Hatcher, Probate Judge J.C. Love, and Circuit Judge Greg Griffin all have the same pedigree. They were born and raised in the Capitol City, went off to Morehouse for their education and national political networking, then came home to lead their city and Montgomery County. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is a Morehouse man. In his first race, his Morehouse friends and fraternity brothers from throughout the country, many of whom are professionals, doctors, lawyers, and businessmen, came to the Magic City to campaign and knock on doors for Woodfin. There was a room full of Morehouse men at Woodfin’s victory celebration on August 24 as he won his second term. By the same token, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson are products of the old school, 100-year-old University of Alabama fraternity called “The Machine.” Battle was a member of Kappa Sigma, and Stimpson was a Delta Kappa Epsilon. In closing, even though Huntsville is the largest city, folks in the Rocket City should not get too big of a head. The Birmingham/Hoover metro area is still by far the largest metropolitan area of the state by a 2-to-1 margin. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.
Jim Zeigler v. Kay Ivey suit on prison lease plan dismissed
A circuit judge has dismissed the lawsuit filed by four plaintiffs seeking to block Gov. Kay Ivey’s prison lease plan. After a hearing Friday, Judge Greg Griffin ruled today that the suit cannot go forward and dismissed it. The suit alleged that the $3.6 billion prison lease plan is illegal because it was not approved by the legislature. State Auditor Jim Zeigler, the lead plaintiff, made this statement: “We are studying the Judge’s order. We will make a decision this week on whether to appeal. We will continue our fight to block the prison plan by raising issues that would cause potential investors to withdraw. We believe that investors see the fatal flaws in this plan and will not touch it with a 10-foot pole.” The three underwriters for the plan have withdrawn — Barclays, KeyBank and Stifel. The plan would contract with three consortiums of private businesses, two led by CoreCivic of Nashville. The contractors would pay to build three super-prisons in Bibb, Elmore and Escambia Counties of Alabama. Two of the contracts were signed Feb. 1 with the one in Bibb County pending. “The Ivey plan would force Alabama taxpayers to pay rents starting at $94 million a year and going up to $106 million. At the end of 30 years, the state would own equity in the prisons of zero. No equity. This is a bad business plan,” Zeigler said. “The Ivey plan does not address the problems in the prison system – safety of staff and other inmates; overcrowding; mental health; suicide; recidivism; and inadequate job training. The plan merely throws over $3.6 billion of taxpayer money into rented buildings,” Zeigler said. Zeigler (R-Mobile) is joined in the suit by three other plaintiffs – State Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham); Leslie Osborne, a property owner adjacent to the proposed prison site in Elmore County; and Rev. Kenny Glasgow, a prisoner rights activist from Dothan.
Judge hears arguments in lawsuit over Alabama prison leases
A judge said Friday that he will decide soon whether to let a lawsuit go forward challenging Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s plan to lease privately owned prisons. Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin heard arguments in the state’s request to dismiss the lawsuit that contends the plan violates state law because the massive $3 billion expenditure was not approved by the Alabama Legislature. Griffin indicated he would rule by Monday. Attorney Kenny Mendelson, of Montgomery, filed the lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court on behalf of four plaintiffs – Republican State Auditor Jim Zeigler; Democratic state Rep. John Rogers, of Birmingham; Leslie Ogburn, a homeowner near the proposed prison site outside Tallassee; and prisoner rights activist Rev. Kenny Glasgow of Dothan. “This is a legislative function. It’s up to them to decide whether to fund prisons or not to fund prisons. And what the (prison commissioner) and the governor have attempted to do is say, ‘We are going to go ahead and obligate the state anyway,’” Mendelson said after court. Much of the arguments on Friday centered on whether the state’s financial obligation under the leases is a debt. Assistant Attorney General Jim Davis told Griffin that court rulings have made clear that a lease is not the same as a debt. “It is not a debt as a matter of law,” Davis said. The governor in February agreed to lease two mammoth prisons as a partial solution to the state’s troubled correction system. The two 30-year lease agreements are with separate entities of CoreCivic, one of the nation’s largest private prison companies. The governor’s office is negotiating with another company to build a third prison in Bibb County. Ivey has said new prisons are a crucial first step to overhauling the state’s troubled and aging prison system and that new facilities will be safer and enable more training and rehabilitative efforts. Critics said the $3 billion plan is unnecessarily expensive and does not address critical issues of training, violence, and understaffing. The proposed prisons would be owned by the private companies but staffed and run by the Alabama Department of Corrections. Ogburn said homeowners and businesses in Elmore County have concerns about being near the planned prison that would house about 3,000 inmates. She said the community didn’t know about the proposals until surveyors were on the site. “The biggest concern is the shadiness. They did all of this behind closed doors,” Ogburn said. The governor’s lease plan has been besieged by setbacks including the withdrawal of finance companies. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Email Insights: Bloomberg confirms last underwriter out of Kay Ivey prison lease deal
Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler says the last underwriter for financing an Alabama prison lease plan has backed out. Zeigler, a vocal opponent of the plan, says it “should be pronounced dead.” Stifel Bank of Cleveland, Ohio follows the two lead underwriters which withdrew from the project April 19 – Barclays of London and KeyBank of Cleveland. The project was to be led by CoreCivic, a Nashville firm in the private prison business. Stifel’s Senior Vice President of Investor Relations, Joel M. Jeffrey, said in an e-mail Monday, May 10: “…this transaction has already been withdrawn from the market. Further, you should understand that Stifel is no longer engaged with CoreCivic, any conduit, or the State of Alabama regarding the financing of the project.” Bloomberg News confirmed the contents of the email and that Stifel is out of the Alabama prison lease project. The plan would contract with three consortiums of private businesses, two led by CoreCivic. The contractors would pay to build three super-prisons in Bibb, Elmore, and Escambia Counties of Alabama. Two of the contracts were signed Feb. 1 with the one in Bibb County pending. “The Kay Ivey plan would force Alabama taxpayers to pay rents starting at $94 million a year and going up to $106 million. At the end of 30 years, the state would own equity in the prisons of zero. No equity. This is a bad business plan,” Zeigler said. “The Ivey plan does not address the problems in the prison system – safety of staff and other inmates; overcrowding; mental health; suicide; recidivism; and inadequate job training. The plan merely throws over $3.6 billion of taxpayer money into rented buildings,” Zeigler said. A bipartisan lawsuit seeking to enjoin the Ivey plan is set Friday, May 14 in Circuit Court of Montgomery County at 9 a.m. Judge Greg Griffin will hear motions to dismiss filed by the state. Zeigler is joined in the suit by three other plaintiffs – State Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham); Leslie Osborne, a property owner adjacent to the proposed prison site in Elmore County; and Rev. Kenny Glasgow, a prisoner rights activist from Dothan. The plaintiffs allege that the plan violates the state constitution by creating state debt and violates a law requiring legislative approval to lease a prison. (Please see E-mail below to opponent of the Ivey prison lease plan) As we have communicated, we are interested in your perspective generally and specifically regarding the correctional system in the state of Alabama. With respect to your request that Stifel withdraw from the former transaction led by Barclays, we note that this transaction has already been withdrawn from the market. Further, you should understand that Stifel is no longer engaged with CoreCivic, any conduit or the State of Alabama regarding the financing of this project. As a matter of professional conduct, we endeavor not to discuss prospective or hypothetical transactions, and, to avoid misunderstanding, we will not do so on Tuesday. If you want further information on this specific project, you should reach out to the appropriate person in the government of the State of Alabama. That aside, we look forward to our call. Sincerely, Joel M. Jeffrey Senior Vice President STIFEL | INVESTOR RELATIONS
Hearing set May 14 in Jim Zeigler suit against Kay Ivey prison lease plan
A hearing has been set on state motions to dismiss a lawsuit by State Auditor Jim Zeigler and three other plaintiffs who seek to block a $3.6 billion prison lease plan by Gov. Kay Ivey. Montgomery County Circuit Judge Greg Griffin will hear a filing by Attorney General Steve Marshall to take over Zeigler’s official claim and then dismiss it. He will also hear motions to dismiss the entire case. The hearing is 9 a.m. Friday, May 14 at the Montgomery County Courthouse. The plaintiffs allege that the prison plan violates the state constitution by creating state debt over a 30-year period. They also allege that the plan violates state law by not having approval by the Alabama legislature. Zeigler calls the plan “a 30-year mistake.” “The Ivey plan would force Alabama taxpayers to pay rents starting at $94 million a year and going up to $106 million. At the end of 30 years, the state would own equity in the prisons of zero. No equity. This is a bad business plan,” Zeigler said. “The plan does not address the problems in the prison system – safety of staff and other inmates; overcrowding; mental health; suicide; recidivism; and inadequate job training. The plan merely throws over $3.6 billion of taxpayer money into rented buildings,” Zeigler said. “We thought this plan had been killed off April 19 when the two largest underwriters pulled out of the project, but the Ivey administration is stubbornly pushing forward. There are two giant signed contracts already executed. This lawsuit is needed to make sure the plan is good and dead,” Zeigler said Thursday. Other plaintiffs are State Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham); Leslie Ogburn, a homeowner adjacent the proposed prison site near Tallassee, Al; and Rev. Kenny Glasgow, a prisoner rights activist in Dothan. Zeigler says an intentional decision was made to file a non-partisan lawsuit.
Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging Alabama mask order
The lawsuit contends the mask order was illegally adopted.
Judge dismisses Alabama Democratic Party lawsuit
The Alabama Democratic Party for months has been tangled in an internal feud over the leadership
