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.
Kelvin Datcher, Frank Woodson competing in Dem runoff for House District 52
Democratic voters in House District 52 will choose between two nominees Tuesday, each offering distinct approaches to voter concerns. Kelvin Datcher, Birmingham’s deputy director of community development, will face Frank Woodson, a nonprofit executive and former manager at United Parcel Service (UPS), for the district’s Democratic nomination, which includes a section of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and parts of Fairfield and Homewood. They advanced to the runoff after a primary earlier this month. Datcher, who finished first in the six-candidate primary with 38% of the vote, said that while addressing issues in education, crime, housing and career development are important, voters in the district want to be heard and engaged by their representatives. “At a minimum, we need to be in a position where we’re working great jobs, and that we’re preparing people to excel in those roles so they can support their families and build great communities. I don’t think it’s much more complicated than that,” he said in a phone interview Tuesday. Woodson presents himself as the candidate for change, critiquing Datcher’s ties to Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. Woodson said in an interview Monday that Birmingham residents aren’t happy with the city’s homicide rates, neglected properties, and lack of attention to Birmingham’s west side. He said that he’s got the leadership experience in the private and public sector to lead that change. “If you like what you’ve been getting, go for that direction and you will get more,” Woodson said. “But if we want something better, then we have to embrace change.” Woodson also accused the Woodfin administration of not partnering as much with local churches and nonprofits, which he believes are crucial for strengthening families and reducing crime and proposed involving these organizations to help families and provide intervention for at-risk youth. Woodson said there is a need for comprehensive community collaboration to address issues in the district. “They won’t work with the people that are at the grassroots level, who deal with these kids and can send them a different direction. We have to get the whole team on the field, to bring leaders together to work in a concerted effort. That’s all that’s missing,” Woodson said. Datcher said his connections can be an advantage to serving the district, and that for change to happen, “our city councilors, our county commissioners, our mayors and our state legislators all have to be on the same page and all speak with the same voice,” and said that he is proud to have endorsements from current officials. “It takes a team approach in order to get this done and to ensure that our community gets the kinds of resources from the state of Alabama that we deserve. This is not a one-man band kind of a thing. This is a team effort,” Datcher said. The seat was previously held by Rep. John Rogers, who resigned from the House after agreeing to plead guilty to charges of wire and mail fraud and obstruction of justice in March. He was accused 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 an assistant and former romantic partner. Rogers, first elected in 1982, was the longest serving representative in the chamber. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 26 in Birmingham. The seat is likely to favor a Democratic candidate. The last time a Republican ran in the district was in 2014, when Rogers got almost 77% of the vote against Republican nominee Phillip Bahakel, an attorney. The runoff winner will face Republican candidate Carlos Crum in the Oct. 1 general election. This story was republished with permission of Alabama Reflector. Alabama Reflector is 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.
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.
Democratic Primary in House District 55 is Tuesday
Democratic voters in House District 55 go to the polls on Tuesday to elect their candidate to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of State Representative Fred Plump (D-Fairfield). Kenneth Coachman, Travis Hendrix, Ves Marable, Cara McClure, Phyllis E. Oden-Jones, Sylvia Swayne, and Antwon Bernard Womack are all running in the special Democratic primary. This is likely a winner-take-all primary as no Republican qualified in this Birmingham area majority-minority district. Kenneth Coachman is the former Mayor of Fairfield. He was elected as Mayor in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. Fairfield was hit hard by the Great Recession, and even Wal-Mart moved out of the city. Coachman works at Miles College as the chief of staff to the President. Travis Hendrix has a degree from Miles College and a master’s degree from Oakland City University. He is a former school resource officer and served on a task force dedicated to the public housing community. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), and House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels have all endorsed Hendrix. Ves Marable is a musician. He has a bachelor’s degree from Alabama State University and a doctorate from UAB. He has held a number of major positions with state government, including serving on the Pardons and Parole Board. He has served on the Fairfield City Council. Marable has been endorsed by the powerful Alabama Democratic Conference as well as the Progressive Democratic Council and the United Mine Workers of America. Sylvia Swayne is the first openly trans candidate in the state of Alabama. He identifies as a woman. Sylvia is endorsed by LPAC, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to electing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) women and nonbinary people to public office, and by former State Rep. Patricia Todd. Swayne has 30,000 followers on TikTok. Swayne has a degree from the University of Alabama. Cara McClure founded the nonprofit Faith & Works, whose goal is to bridge the gap between the faith community and social activists. She co-founded the Birmingham chapter of Black Lives Matter. She worked for Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign. She studied at Jacksonville State and Alabama State. Phyllis E. Oden-Jones is a retired Birmingham Police senior detective. She is a veteran politician who has served on the Fairfield City Council. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UAB. Antwon Bernard Womack is a perennial candidate. Womack has a Master’s in business administration from Dartmouth College’s Amos Tuck School of Business Administration and a bachelor’s in economics from Yale University. He has some experience as a union organizer. Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. is also the deadline for any independent or minor party candidates to turn in all of their filled-in paperwork, including the necessary ballot access petitions, to the Secretary of State office. Rep. Plump resigned after he pleaded guilty to corruption charges involving kickbacks to a longtime legislative aide for State Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham). The polls open at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday and close at 7:00 p.m. HD55 voters who wish to participate in this special election must bring a valid photo ID to the polls. There is no same-day registration in Alabama, and voters must vote only at the polling place they are assigned. The special general election will be on January 9. If necessary, there will be a special Democratic primary on October 24. This is one of three open seats in the Alabama House of Representatives. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
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.
Former Alabama lawmaker Fred Plump Jr. pleads guilty in kickbacks case
A former Alabama lawmaker accused of misusing state grant money by paying kickbacks to a legislative assistant pleaded guilty Wednesday. Former Rep. Fred Plump Jr., a Democrat from Fairfield, entered the plea to charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice in federal court in Birmingham. Plump resigned his seat May 31 as part of his deal with prosecutors. Plump took about $200,000 of the $400,000 that was allocated to his Piper Davis Youth Baseball League by a state legislator and gave it to the legislator’s aide, prosecutors wrote in the plea agreement filed with the court. Plump was allegedly told by the assistant that he had to give the money. “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. Court documents did not name the legislator, but Rep. John Rogers, a Democrat from Birmingham, has indicated it is him. The payments took place between 2018 and 2022 before Plump took office. He was elected to the state House just last November. Prosecutors said Plump tried to obstruct the investigation by texting the assistant “red alert” to warn her about the investigation. Defense attorney Richard Jaffe said Plump, nicknamed “Coach” for his work in youth sports, has accepted full responsibility and “is committed to redeeming himself.” “We are still baffled by the mistakes and misjudgments that ‘Coach’ made with respect to what led to these charges. How does someone, 76 years old, who has led an exemplary life of service where he and his organization have benefited thousands of disadvantaged youth, end up in this predicament,” Jaffe wrote in an email. Asked if the investigation is ongoing or if other arrests are possible, Jaffe said he was limited in what he could say. “I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this discouraging turn of events, but I am not comfortable giving any opinions about what the future holds,” Jaffe wrote. Plump will be sentenced on October 23. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but court documents show that prosecutors are recommending a more lenient sentence as part of his plea deal. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
State Representative Fred “Coach” Plump has been indicted by the Justice Department
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that State Representative Fred “Coach” Plump has been indicted for conspiracy and obstruction of justice. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey announced that the freshman Democratic lawmaker from Fairfield plans to resign his seat in the Alabama House of Representatives. Plump’s resignation has been confirmed by the Alabama Media Group talking to Plump’s attorney Richard Jaffe. “For decades, Representative Fred ‘Coach’ Plump has tirelessly and unselfishly given so much to so many at-risk inner-city youths through the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, a community-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which he created,” Jaffe told the Alabama Media Group. “Through his passion for sports and dedication to the Birmingham community, he has changed the lives of countless young boys and girls. Although he did not personally profit, his heart was always in the right spot despite the clear errors in judgment for which he now takes full responsibility.” The federal government is accusing Plump of stealing money from taxpayers, paying kickbacks to a legislative assistant, and then obstructing justice by informing the assistant of the investigation after he was contacted by federal agents. A second member of the House of Representatives is also involved in this conspiracy. State Rep. John Rogers, a Birmingham Democrat, told the Alabama Media Group that he is probably the State Representative number one referred to in the DOJ statement. Rogers denies having done anything wrong. Rogers was not actually named in the statement. Plump is accused of then sharing some of the misappropriated dollars with a legislator’s assistant. The legislature budgeted money that individual legislators can give out as checks around their districts without going through the budgeting process or any sort of legislative oversight. Members of the Alabama House of Representatives get $100,000 to ingratiate themselves in their districts, while State Senators get $250,000. When Republicans initially took over control of the Alabama Statehouse in 2010, they initially eliminated the practice of allowing legislators to “play Santa Claus” around their districts with little or no oversight. Since then, the practice has been restored and expanded at the urging of the membership. Representative number one (Rogers) was given $500,000 from 2019 to 2023 through the community grants program. $400,000 of that money went to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, where Coach Plump was the executive director. Plump apparently took much of that money for his own personal use as well as to pay a kickback to the legislative assistant. The DOJ says that Plump has agreed to plead guilty and pay $200,000 in restitution. Plump’s attorney Richard Jaffe told Alabama Today, “There is no evidence that I am aware of that suggests that Coach personally diverted any of the funds he received to his personal accounts. In fact, all of the evidence shows that those funds went to the 501C organization baseball programs he created for the benefit of youth.” Plump narrowly unseated veteran lawmaker Rep. Rod Scott in the Democratic primary runoff last year. Scott was targeted by his fellow House Democrats because Democratic leadership accused Scott of being too bipartisan and not sufficiently loyal to the Democratic Caucus. The controversial legislative grant program remains in the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget which will be voted on in committee on Wednesday despite the corruption scandal. Wednesday will be day 25 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. Plump has since formally tendered his resignation from the State House. This article was edited on June 4 to include the statement from Plump’s attorney To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Bill to prevent China from buying Alabama real estate passes House
On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would forbid Chinese citizens, Chinese businesses and corporations, and the Chinese Communist Party and government from being able to purchase land and other real property in the state of Alabama. House Bill 379 (HB379) is sponsored by House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen. Stadthagen said, “They are the biggest threat to us.” The synopsis states, “Under existing law, an alien, whether resident or nonresident, may own, hold, or dispose of real property with the same rights as a native citizen. This bill would prohibit Chinese citizens, the Chinese government, or Chinese entities from acquiring title to real property in the state.” State Representative Mary Moore said they were not a problem until Ronald Reagan. “When President Reagan started encouraging our companies to go overseas,” Moore said. “That accounts for a lot of poverty, especially in southern Alabama and eastern Alabama because they were clothing manufacturers.” “The problem is bigger than the state of Alabama,” Moore said. “President Reagan loved China, and they became a superpower.” Stadthagen explained that if his bill passes, “They can’t purchase property in Alabama.” Rep. Jamie Kiel said, “Your bill protects the state from the communist Chinese.” “My district was also impacted by the great sucking sound of jobs leaving the country that Ross Perot talked about, and that was under President [Bill] Clinton in 1994 with NAFTA,” Kiel said. “President [Barack] Obama said that the relationship between the U.S. and China was the most important bilateral relationship in the world.” “Whoever started it, it is time to stop it, and I appreciate the bill,” Kiel said. Rep. Tracy Estes said, “For those who may think that the Chinese are not the greatest threat to this country, don’t be fooled.” Rep. Napoleon Bracy asked, “What prompted this?” Stadthagen explained, “In the last year, the Chinese have purchased over six billion dollars’ worth of property.” “This is a protection bill,” Stadthagen said. “I know of several real estate contracts that are in progress.” Bracy asked, “What if they are already here?” “Then they are already here,” Stadthagen answered. “What if they wanted to expand?” Bracy asked. “Then they have to get a citizen or a dual citizen to purchase that property, and they can lease it from them,” Stadthagen answered. Bracy asked, “Could this hurt the economy?” Stadthagen said that it had not in the other states that have done this, but admitted, “This is something that is fairly new.” Stadthagen said, “The Department of Commerce wants to talk to me about it before it goes upstairs to the Senate.” Bracy said that a Chinese corporation had bought piston engine manufacturer Continental Motors. “Continental is in Mobile,” Bracy said. “Are they the enemy? They are providing jobs to our citizens. They are providing over 300 jobs.” “If Continental Motors decides to leave and those 300 jobs and their $75 million investment leaves with them, then we are impacting a lot more people than what this was designed to impact,” Bracy said. Rep. Tim Wadsworth expressed concerns that the way this was written would also apply to Taiwan. “Taiwan is not a part of it,” Stadthagen said. “About 90% of the semiconductor chips in this country are made in Taiwan,” Wadsworth said. “China and the U.S. actually consider Taiwan to be one country as part of the one-China policy.” Rep. Sam Jones said, “Continental Motors was a U.S. Company that sold out to China. They have been in Mobile for over 50 years.” Jones said he had been on several international job recruiting trips as the Mayor of Mobile. “We weren’t recruiting politics – we were recruiting jobs and companies,” Jones said. “Do I support the communism in China? No, I don’t, but we are a world economy.” Stadthagen said, “Do you know how many acres of land are owned by other countries? 1.4 million acres in Alabama are owned by foreign countries.” Jones said, “Alabama exports surged to over $25 billion last year. Our two largest trading partners are Germany and China.” “We don’t handle foreign policy,” Jones said. “That is not what we do here. You don’t know the facts because you have never spent any time recruiting industries.” “We watch Florida and pass everything that they do down there,” Jones said. “I am surprised that we have not passed anything about Mickey Mouse yet. We follow Florida, but we aren’t Florida.” Rep. Neil Rafferty asked about Chinese people that have moved here seeking asylum. “They can lease a house or property while they work on their citizenship,” Stadthagen answered. Rafferty asked, “Why don’t we do this for Vietnam or Laos? They are communist.” “They are not a threat to us,” Stadthagen answered. Rafferty asked, “What other countries would you do this with? “North Korea and Iran,” Stadthagen answered. Rep. John Rogers said, “The federal government is the one who ought to be pulling the trigger on China.” “If China were to stop exporting all the stuff they make for us, we would be in a world of hurt,” Rogers said. “This concerns me because it seems to single out one particular race. I like Chinese food.” Rogers asked, “If China called in our debt, can we pay it?” Stadthagen answered, “We can’t.” Rogers said, “Can you imagine if we had a war with China? We will have to draft you.” Rep. Barbara Drummond said, “I am here standing for Mobile. Brookley is in my district, so I have seen this business grow. I have seen Brookley take off. They are contributing to our local economy. They are contributing to the Alabama economy. I know China is a communist country, and I know how they treat women, and I don’t like that.” Drummond said, “Our Chamber has red-flagged this for us and said that this is going to hurt.” Rep. Ben Robbins offered an amendment addressing members’ concerns. The amendment exempted companies already operating in the state and Taiwan from the legislation. Stadthagen accepted the amendment as friendly, and it was adopted in a 100 to 0 vote. SB379 passed the House in a
