Riley responds to "buffoonery" over contract

Gov. Bob Riley turned the attack over a multi-million-dollar consulting contract back on Democrats on Friday, saying they are gearing up for campaign season by attacking a company who has performed well for the state and criticizing decisions made by career state employees.
Riley, a Republican, said he and his advisers have discussed how "to counter the buffoonery" over the contract.
He said the administration will move forward on the contract and will fight the lawsuit filed on Thursday by the legislative contract review committee.
The administration and Democrats on the contract review committee are involved in an escalating battle over an amended contract that would pay Paragon Source LLC up to $12.9 million. The state has already paid the company more than $5 million of that amount for previous work.
On Friday, Riley was joined by about 20 people in his office including staff members, state officials involved in selecting Paragon, and Spud Seale, the attorney for Paragon and its president, Janet Lauderdale.
Seale said Paragon has performed well and it was shameful the state did not come to Lauderdale's defense sooner. Riley said he was probably correct.
Seale and Riley said no one has found anything wrong with the work performed by Paragon.
They said there is nothing wrong or sinister about the contract or the work being performed. Riley said he has never met Lauderdale, she has never hired a lobbyist, and he has never received a campaign contribution from her.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the contract review committee, and other Democratic members have expressed concerns about giving the large contract to a computer consulting company that does not have a Web site or a listed phone number and that lists personal residences as its headquarters. The finance department and Paragon have released documents to the committee in response to subpoenas, but Holmes and other members have said they want more information on the subcontractors who were paid through the contract and what work they were performing for the money.
Finance department officials approached Paragon and hired the company to work with the state to help create a blueprint to update the computer system used for financial functions such as payroll and purchasing. The amended contract, which the governor signed on Oct. 23 after the Democrats held it up for 45 days, would begin to move forward with updating a portion of the almost 20-year-old system.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Lawmakers file lawsuit against Riley, finance department, Paragon

A legislative committee filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to stop the administration of Gov. Bob Riley from moving forward with a multi-million-dollar consulting contract.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the legislative contract review committee, and the committee filed the complaint Thursday in Montgomery Circuit Court against Riley, Acting Finance Director Bill Newton, the state finance department, and officials with Paragon Source LLC, the consulting company.
Todd Stacy, press secretary for Riley, said the office is still reviewing the case, "but this lawsuit is a total crock."
"This is nothing but political grandstanding by Alvin Holmes and other Democrats to divert attention away from their shameful record on corruption," he said. "Democrats are going to jail left and right on corruption convictions, so they want to change the subject."
Holmes has said he fought the administration of Gov. Don Siegelman, a fellow Democrat, on computer contracts so his actions are not political.
The finance department requested an amendment to the contract with Paragon that could take the total up to $12.9 million. The state has already paid more than $5 million to Paragon, and Newton wanted to extend the contract to allow the company to help the state update the computer system used for financial functions such as payroll and purchasing.
Holmes, D-Montgomery, wants a judge to cease all work and payments until there is a hearing, and he wants a judge to declare the contract null and void. The legislator said the panel has never filed a lawsuit over the issue before and he wants a ruling on whether no-bid contracts are legal.
The contract review committee members previously approved a contract for $195 an hour up to $200,000 to hire attorney Tyrone Means of Thomas, Means, Gillis & Seay, P.C., to represent them in handling the contract between Paragon and the finance department. Holmes said they did not go out for bids before hiring Means, but said the committee has never asked for bids or requests for proposals for lawyers or doctors.
The committee also voted this month to issue subpoenas, using that authority for the first time, seeking more information from Paragon and the finance department. Holmes and other Democratic members have said they want more information on who was paid through the contract and what work was performed for the money.
Newton said the committee has received all of the documents the finance department has on Paragon.
The Democrats also contend that Paragon did not have the authority to hire subcontractors without the authority of the state, which the administration disputes.
"Neither party may assign this agreement or delegate any duties hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party," according to the contract. Administration officials have said there was no prior written consent before Paragon hired subcontractors, but said the company has not delegated its duties and has supervised the project.
Holmes also questioned why Paragon received a sole source, no-bid contract while the company has found plenty of subcontractors to perform the work.
The review committee did not vote to file the lawsuit, but they did agree to hire the law firm and Holmes said he talked to the other members before moving forward.
Newton has said Paragon has performed well in helping the state. Other administration officials said overhauling the purchasing portion of the system could save $4 million to $6 million a year.
Holmes and other members of the contract review committee have expressed concerns about Paragon, which lists personal residences as its headquarters and has no Web site or listed phone number, receiving a consulting contract for the remainder of the almost $13 million.
The contract review committee held the contract up for 45 days, the maximum allowed by law, but the panel cannot stop a contract. After the 45 days, Holmes delivered the contract to Riley's office as required by law and asked him not to sign it.
Riley signed the contract Oct. 23, Stacy said. The governor will talk to the media about the contract this morning.
Some people have questioned Holmes hiring Means since the law firm's political action committee gave $500 to his campaign in 2006. The firm also gave more than $5,000 to Riley, one of the defendants, during that election cycle.
Holmes said the committee needed representation in the case, the law firm is reputable, many of the law firms in town have contributed to him in his more than 30 years in the Legislature, and that this is the first time he has recommended the hiring of a particular law firm.
The disagreement between the administration of the Republican governor and Democrats on the contract review committee has been ongoing for about two months.
"This is one of the worst contracts since I have been on the contract review committee," Holmes said.
Riley and Newton sent out a memo this month reminding state officials of the governor's policy that they must seek bids before purchasing items.
"The issue of contracts has gotten a lot of attention lately and this is to remind people of what this administration’s policy is," Jeff Emerson, Riley's communications director, told the Associated Press. He said Riley had not changed his policy.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Fite remembered in Anniston

Friends, colleagues and family of state Rep. Lea Fite, D-Jacksonville, gathered in Anniston on Thursday to mourn the unexpected death of the lawmaker.
Fite, a supermarket owner, died Monday morning after suffering a seizure.
He was known as a likable legislator who worked across the aisle.
In the last session, he sponsored and helped push through a law to help provide Medicaid coverage for more women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer who previously fell into loopholes in coverage. Both chambers passed the bill unanimously.
He also announced that he was giving the automatic cost of living increase that legislators received in their pay to the American Cancer Society. He donated $1,805.
His wife, Judy, is a breast cancer survivor.
"I could just give it up, but it would go into the black hole in Montgomery so I decided to take it and make sure it goes to a good cause," he told the Montgomery Advertiser in April.
He also encouraged his colleagues to give their raise to charities.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Holmes: Lawsuit to be filed over Paragon

The chairman of the legislative contract review committee told the Montgomery Advertiser late Wednesday that a lawsuit will be filed Thursday morning to try to stop the administration of Gov. Bob Riley from moving forward with a multi-million dollar consulting contract.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the committee, said a lawsuit will be filed Thursday in Montgomery against Riley, Acting Finance Director Bill Newton and officials with Paragon Source LLC, the consulting company.
The finance department requested an amendment to the contract with Paragon that could take the total up to $12.9 million. The state has already paid more than $5 million to Paragon and Newton wants to extend the contract to allow the company to help the state continue to revamp the computer system that the state uses for its financial functions such as payroll and purchasing.
Newton has said Paragon has performed well in helping the state. Other administration officials said overhauling the purchasing portion of the system could save $4 million to $6 million a year.
Holmes, D-Montgomery, and other members of the contract review committee have expressed concerns about Paragon, which lists personal residences as its headquarters and has no Web site or listed phone number, receiving a consulting contract for the remainder of the almost $13 million.
The contract review committee held the contract up for 45 days, the maximum allowed by law, but the panel cannot stop a contract. After the 45 days, Holmes delivered the contract to Riley's office as required by law and asked him not to sign it.
The disagreement between the administration of the Republican governor and Democrats on the review committee has been ongoing for about two months.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Langford found guilty, removed from office

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford has been convicted in a bribery scheme, automatically removing him from office, according to the Associated Press. He was convicted Wednesday on all of the counts he faced, according to the report.
He was accused of accepting cash, clothing and luxury items valued at about $236,000 while he was president of the Jefferson County Commission. He was convicted of funneling about $7.1 million in bond business to prominent Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount, who had already pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, in exchange for the gifts.
The mayor showed no emotion when the verdict was read, according to the report.
The conviction led to his immediate removal from office, just two years after he easily won over several other candidates including the incumbent.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Grantland decides against 2010 run

One of the north Alabama Democrats who Republicans planned to target in 2010 has decided against running for another term.
The Decatur Daily reported today that Ron Grantland, D-Hartselle, will not run for the District 9 seat, which he has held since 1998.
With his announcement, there are no announced Democratic candidates, according to the newspaper's Web site.
Two Republicans, Hartselle Mayor Dwight Tankersley and Parkway Medical Center employee Ed Henry, have announced they will run, according to the article.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Sparks responds to Davis' criticism

Justin Saia, campaign manager for gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks, sent South Union Street the following statement in response to a video posted on YouTube by the camp of U.S. Rep. Artur Davis criticizing Sparks.

"Ron Sparks' message has been crystal clear from the beginning. This video is pure desperation by the Davis campaign that is leaking oil by the minute. Davis should spend less time playing on YouTube and more time coming up with a plan for Alabama's future."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Davis camp launches video critical of Sparks

The gubernatorial campaign of U.S. Rep. Artur Davis posted the following video critical of his opponent in the Democratic primary, agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZas--2pLrs

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Riley Inducted in Senior Hall of Fame

Gov. Bob Riley is officially a senior citizen and to cap that achievement he is now a member of the the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

Riley, who turned 65 on Oct. 3, was inducted Monday during the opening day of the Alabama Silver Haired Legislature's 2009 session.

"I'm qualified now," he said with a laugh. "I filled out my Medicare paperwork a few weeks ago and I am now entitled to all the discounts that I'm eligible for."

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Congressional Quarterly looks at local races

With about a year before the election, Congressional Quarterly has looked at two local races for congressional seats in its most recent ratings of U.S. House and Senate contests.
One of the highlights, according to the article, is the change in the rank of the district of freshman U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright, D-Montgomery.
Bright narrowly won his election in November to become the first Democrat to represent the 2nd Congressional District since the 1960s. Republican presidential candidate John McCain, however, received 63 percent of the vote in the district.
"But there is no doubt that Bright is one of the most vulnerable Democratic House incumbents for 2010," the article states.
With his challenger announcing her candidacy and raising money, Congressional Quarterly moved the seat from "leans Democratic" to "tossup." State and national Republicans appear to be lining up behind Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby.
"But Roby will need stronger fundraising numbers to prevent Bright from regaining an edge in the race," according to the article. "After bringing in more than $125,000 in the first six weeks of her campaign, Roby reported an underwhelming $91,000 in receipts during the third quarter. She ended September with $179,000 cash on hand to Bright's $489,000."
Congressional Quarterly updated races in the South in the Friday piece and said Bright's race was the highlight of the House races.
The article also moved the rating on the 3rd Congressional District, where a rematch appears likely between U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, and Montgomery lawyer Josh Segall, who challenged Rogers in 2008, but came up short.
The article notes the potential for another strong challenge, but says Rogers was able to hold of Segall during a strong year for Democrats.
Congressional Quarterly moved the race from "leans Republican" to "likely Republican."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Ivey Blasts Community College Tuition Hike

State Treasurer and Republican candidate for governor Kay Ivey is blasting the state Board of Education's recent decision to raise tuition at the state's two-year colleges by 15 percent.

Ivey released the following statement:

“It’s outrageous that thousands of hardworking Alabama students now have to come up with $420 more each semester. It’s unfair that Alabama taxpayers also have to foot the bill to cover the additional 12 percent of the hike, too. Tuition is out of control. As governor, I will work to bring skyrocketing tuition hikes under control by reducing administrative overhead and wasteful spending. How could $70 million have been saved over the last two years, and yet the State Board of Education now says it has lost $90 million in revenue at the same time. That makes no sense.”

The board voted to raise tuition because the system hadn't raised tuition in several years, unlike the state's four year colleges and universities, despite experiencing multiple years of proration.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Candidate for Treasurer Applauds Wren's PACT Plan

Charley Grimsley, Democratic candidate for state treasurer, says he applauds Rep. Greg Wren’s plans to introduce a bill that provide state guarantees of Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) contracts.

Wren announced Thursday that he would introduce a three-bill legislative package that would guarantee all of the existing 48,000 contracts and change the way the program is administered.

Grimsley said the lack of such guarantees in Alabama’s PACT law, which was designed by then-state Treasurer George Wallace Jr., was an initial design flaw that has placed the PACT program in jeopardy.

Wallace is again running for state treasurer, along with Republican Terry Dunn and Democrat Jeremy Sherer, to replace current state Treasurer Kay Ivey who is running for governor.

The state treasurer serves as chairperson of the existing 10-member PACT board, and would also serve on the new board that would oversee the program if Wren's legislative package is successful during the 2010 session.

"George Wallace says he studied the Florida PACT program for two years and then copied it," Grimsley said in a news release. "This is simply not true. The centerpiece of Florida’s program was state guarantees, and Wallace’s program did not have them.

"Rep. Wren’s proposal to add state guarantees is an admission that George Wallace did not copy the centerpiece of the Florida program. But admitting Wallace’s initial design flaw is the first step toward a solution," Grimsley added.

According to information provided by Grimsley, Section 1009.98 of the Florida Statutes says the Florida Prepaid contracts are guaranteed by the State of Florida: "The state shall agree to meet the obligations of the board to qualified beneficiaries if moneys in the fund fail to offset the obligations of the board."

Unlike the Florida program, Alabama’s PACT law says its contracts are not obligations of the state. Section 16-33C-6 (b) states in part: "A PACT contract and any other contract entered into by or on behalf of the trust, does not constitute a debt or obligation of the state..."

Grimsley said the state should correct the PACT law by guaranteeing the contracts.

"From the beginning, George Wallace, Jr. put the state seal and the word "guarantee" into the PACT contracts. The state is now in a ‘Catch-22’. If they argue the contracts are not guaranteed, they are admitting the state committed fraud and deception in marketing the PACT program," Grimsley said.

Grimsley said the crisis has already sparked numerous lawsuits, and the cost of the litigation to the state would far exceed the cost of guaranteeing the program.

"Because the state purported the program to be guaranteed, I believe PACT holders will prevail over the state in court," Grimsley said. 'The state could save itself hundreds of millions in litigation costs by adding the guarantees the program should have had from the beginning."

Grimsley said Wren’s proposals did not contain any funding plans for the state guarantees. "Solving PACT’s original design flaw is going to take a historic bipartisan effort. But step one was admitting the problem – George Wallace’s PACT program was not guaranteed by the state" Grimsley said. "Now that we’ve admitted the problem, we can all work together toward a solution."

Read about Wren's proposal to overhaul the state's PACT program here:
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20091023/NEWS02/910230320/1009/Wren-offers-plan-to-help-PACT

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Legislator recovering in Birmingham hospital

State Rep. Mike Millican, a Democrat who represents Marion and Winston counties in the state Legislature, is recovering in a Birmingham hospital after back surgery, according to an e-mail sent out by a House spokesman.
He had back surgery Thursday at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. Millican, 58, was recovering in the intensive care unit, but his doctors said he should be moved to a private room in the near future, according to the e-mail.
He was elected to the House in 1990.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Riley officials use plane to make case for Paragon

Top officials in the administration of Gov. Bob Riley used the state plane on Thursday to travel to talk to newspaper reporters and editors in Huntsville and Birmingham in their efforts to justify a $13 million contract to help overhaul the state's computer system.
Acting Finance Director Bill Newton, Chief of Staff Dave Stewart and Communications Director Jeff Emerson were responding to criticism from Democrats of a $13 million contract with a consulting company hired to help revamp the computer system that the state uses for financial functions such as purchasing and payroll.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the legislative contract review committee, criticized the use of the state plane for "propaganda." Holmes, D-Montgomery, and other Democratic lawmakers have questioned the $13 million no-bid contract with a company that has no Web site, no listed phone number and lists personal residences as its headquarters in Virginia and Montgomery. The committee held up the contract for the maximum of 45 days and the proposal was delivered to Riley's office on Monday.
Holmes said he wanted access to the plane if officials in the administration were going to use it to make their case and he wanted the some refreshments. Emerson said they would accommodate Holmes. He said he had a Diet Coke, Stewart had a Coke and cheese and peanut butter crackers, and Newton had a package of peanuts.
"But this is getting ridiculous," Emerson said.
"Mr. Holmes criticized us for not answering questions. Now, he is criticizing us for going out and answering questions."
Holmes told the Montgomery Advertiser on Thursday that he would decide whether he was going to use the plane after talking to other members of the legislative contract review committee over the coming weekend.
Newton, Emerson, Stewart and Deputy State Finance Director Anne Elizabeth McGowin met with a reporter and an editor at the Montgomery Advertiser on Wednesday to discuss the contract before traveling to Huntsville and Birmingham on the plane on Thursday.
Emerson said he did not know how much the use of the plane cost, but said it is common for members of the administration to use it and the use is published on the governor's Web site.
Newton said Paragon has performed well in helping the state.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Shelby, Sessions to support Strange over King

U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby of Tuscaloosa and Jeff Sessions of Mobile are supporting Luther Strange against incumbent Troy King in the Republican primary for attorney general.
Shelby, who has one of the biggest campaign war chests of any U.S. senator, and Sessions, a former Alabama attorney general, will be the featured guests next week during a fundraiser for Strange in Washington, according to a Birmingham News article.
Strange also helped Sessions with his campaigns for office.
The two senators also contributed financially to King's campaign in 2006, according to the report. "This is a sign of just how alienated Troy King has become from the Republican establishment," David Lanoue, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alabama, told the News. "This is pretty extraordinary."
Chris Brown, a spokesman for King's campaign, told the News that King respects the senators but, "He'd rather get his votes from the voters instead of some people in Washington."
King has had public squabbles with Republican officials in the state including numerous district attorneys and with Gov. Bob Riley, who appointed him attorney general.
Strange is a lawyer and former lobbyist who lost his race for lieutenant governor to Jim Folsom Jr. in the 2006 general election.

People can read more of the article at:
http://www.al.com/politics/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/12561129384630.xml&coll=2

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Davis statement on Arrington endorsement of Sparks

Alex Goepfert, spokesman for the gubernatorial campaign of U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, released the following statement on former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington Jr., endorsing Ron Sparks, the other Democrat who has announced his bid for governor.

"Congressman Davis has great respect for Mayor Arrington's legacy and his leadership but, as Mayor Arrington found out when he supported Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama, and as he recently discovered in the city council elections, Birmingham voters are quite capable of making their own decisions. We are confident that Birmingham voters who have voted for Artur Davis in record numbers in his last two contested races will also make their own independent judgment about the kind of leadership that Davis will provide as governor."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Updated: Johnson criticizes Riley, Byrne

(Contains additional comments from Bill Johnson)

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Johnson is going after his former boss again -- this time on ethics.
Johnson, a Republican who was in the administration of Gov. Bob Riley and worked on his campaigns, criticized Riley's ethics reform package as weak.
"Accountability and ethics reform are certainly needed. My problem with the proposed reform is that it isn't true reform," Johnson said in a release.
Johnson, in an e-mail on Tuesday night, wrote that his main point was that the governor's ethics pledge would only require reporting by public officials on family members in the household while Riley has family that lives outside of the house and that Johnson alleges are making millions from contracts that the governor is involved in. Riley has adamantly denied any member of his family has benefited financially from his time as governor. His spokesman has also said that he was not involved with Jefferson County hiring firms where his son and son-in-law work. His son, Rob Riley, was hired by the sheriff there. His son-in-law works for the Bradley Arant firm, which performs millions of dollars in work for the state, but does not benefit financially, according to the administration.
"Under the governor's 'reform' proposals, they are not 'household' family members and wouldn't be required to report this income," Johnson wrote.
Johnson was among the candidates who signed the Christian Coalition Integrity Pledge, which he said "basically removed the 'household' charade from the governor's reform proposal."
Johnson was the head of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs when it contracted with Bradley Arant for millions of dollars in legal contracts.
This is the third time since Johnson resigned from the administration this summer that he has criticized Riley. He has called the administration out on a $13 million no-bid computer contract and on Riley's work as chief negotiator in Jefferson County because of the appearance of a conflict of interest because of the alleged financial benefit to his family.
Johnson also said in his statement that if fellow Republican candidate Bradley Byrne is going to follow in Riley's footsteps on the reform issue, "Lord help us."
"We will never gain the trust of the people," he said.
Johnson was a member of Riley's cabinet since 2005 as director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and he was the second in command at ADECA before that. He resigned this summer after Riley said he needed to step down if he was going to run for governor. Johnson worked on Riley's campaigns for Congress and governor.


-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Judge Clemon Endorses Davis

Judge U.W. Clemon, Alabama's first black federal judge, is endorsing U. S. Rep. Artur Davis' candidacy for governor. Davis is one of nine people vying to be the state's next governor in 2010.

“My personal choice for the next governor of Alabama is Congressman Artur Davis,” said Clemon in a statement released by Davis' campaign Wednesday. “He is my choice because, in my view, he is best qualified to lead the people of this great state at this crucial time in history.

“I have seen him grow and develop from a young lawyer into a well-regarded statesman in both Alabama and in the nation. If Artur Davis is elected governor, the whole country will finally see a visionary young leader who represents Alabama at its best," Clemon said.

In 1974, Clemon was one of the first two blacks elected to the Alabama State Senate since Reconstruction. Clemon was appointed as a federal judge in 1980. He served as Chief Judge of the Northern District from 1999 to 2006.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

West Virginia governor to headline Alabama Dems event

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin will be the keynote speaker at the 2009 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner for the Alabama Democratic Party in Birmingham. The event is a major fundraiser for the party and former President Bill Clinton is among the previous keynote speakers.
The event is from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Sheraton Birmingham.
People can find more information at:
www.aladems.org/events/2009JJ

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Read more on Riley's ethics proposals

People can read more about the ethics proposals of Gov. Bob Riley by clicking on:

http://governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2009-10-19-01-corruption.asp


-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Davis comments on Riley ethics proposals

U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, a Democratic candidate for governor, released the following comments on Gov. Bob Riley's ethics proposals"

"Governor Riley is right to continue to make ethics reform a priority. When the Legislature reconvenes in January, I strongly hope that he will consider adopting the planks of my ethics platform, which are the strongest set of ethics proposals ever put on the table in our state. It is not enough to require full disclosure of gifts from lobbyists. We need to ban them. We also need to follow the lead of other states and cap campaign contributions so that a few power brokers can't wield disproportionate influence in campaigns. And we need to hold elected officials to the same standard voters face in the private sector. If you’re indicted for misusing your position, you are suspended and put on leave until you've been cleared of the charges."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Arrington expected to endorse Sparks

Former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington Jr., is expected to announce his support for gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks at a Wednesday news conference in Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham.
The endorsement should spark interest.
Arrington, the city's first black mayor, would be endorsing the white candidate in the Democratic primary. Sparks, the two-term agriculture commissioner in the state, is facing U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, the Democratic congressman from Birmingham. Davis is black.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Publication criticizes King for connection to trial lawyers

People can read an editorial by The Washington Times criticizing Alabama Attorney General Troy King and his connections to trial lawyers by clicking here:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/20/alabama-clips-trial-lawyers/

Birmingham attorney and lobbyist Luther Strange sent the clip out to supporters this week. He has announced he is running against King in the 2010 Republican primary for attorney general.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Johnson criticizes Riley, Byrne

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Johnson is going after his former boss again -- this time on ethics.
Johnson, a Republican who was in the administration of Gov. Bob Riley and worked on his campaigns, criticized Riley's ethics reform package as weak.
"Accountability and ethics reform are certainly needed. My problem with the proposed reform is that it isn't true reform," Johnson said in a release.
This is the third time since Johnson resigned from the administration this summer that he has criticized Riley. He has called the administration out on a $13 million no-bid computer contract and on Riley's work as chief negotiator in Jefferson County.
Johnson, in an e-mail on Tuesday night, wrote that his main point was that the governor's ethics pledge would only require reporting by public officials on family members in the household while Riley has family that lives outside of the house and that Johnson alleges are making millions from contracts that the governor is involved in. Riley has adamantly denied any member of his family has benefited financially from his time as governor. His spokesman has also said that he was not involved with Jefferson County hiring firms where his son and son-in-law work. His son, Rob Riley, was hired by the sheriff there. His son-in-law works for the Bradley Arant firm, which performs millions of dollars in work for the state, but does not benefit financially, according to the administration.
"Under the governor's 'reform' proposals, they are not 'household' family members and wouldn't be required to report this income," Johnson wrote.
Johnson was among the candidates who signed the Christian Coalition Integrity Pledge, which he said "basically removed the 'household' charade from the governor's reform proposal."
Johnson was the head of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs when it contracted with Bradley Arant for millions of dollars in legal contracts.
Johnson also said in his statement that if fellow Republican candidate Bradley Byrne is going to follow in Riley's footsteps on the reform issue, "Lord help us."
"We will never gain the trust of the people," he said.
Johnson was a member of Riley's cabinet since 2005 as director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and he was the second in command at ADECA before that. He resigned this summer after Riley said he needed to step down if he was going to run for governor. Johnson worked on Riley's campaigns for Congress and governor.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Democratic lawmakers ask Riley not to sign contract, push for more review power

Two Democratic state senators are asking Gov. Bob Riley not to sign a $13 million computer contract and are planning to introduce legislation that would give more power to legislative contract review committee.
State Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, and Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, said they will introduce bills during the 2010 legislative session that would give the review committee 90 days to hold up and review a contract instead of the current time of 45 days.
A second proposal would require all of those who receive contracts of $7,500 or more to disclose subcontractors on the Web.
The senators said the changes would increase transparency.
"We're glad to see the Democrats say they're going to at last include some type of accountability reforms in their agenda," said Jeff Emerson, communications director for Riley. He said Democrats did not include a single ethics or accountability bill when they introduced their legislative agenda for 2010 earlier this year.
"When asked by the press why their 2010 agenda didn’t include any reforms, they responded that they think Alabamians don't care about those issues. Now the Democrats have decided they're going to try to be ethical. It's a start."
Spokesmen for Riley, a Republican, expect him to sign the amended contract with Paragon Source LLC that could pay the company a total of $12.9 million including the more than $5.5 million that has already been paid to the company.
The chairman of the contract review committee, state Rep. Alvin Holmes, delivered the contract to Riley's office on Monday, the end of the 45-day period that the committee could delay the proposed deal.
Bedford said the contract review committee is the last safeguard and is a check to help monitor the millions in no bid contracts used by state government.
Bedford, Ross, Holmes, the Alabama Democratic Party, and a former member of Riley's cabinet have questioned the contract with Paragon. They are not aware of any wrongdoing, but are suspicious of the agreement. Paragon has no Web site and no listed phone number or e-mail address, and lists its headquarters as personal residences in Virginia and in east Montgomery.
Officials with the Riley administration have pointed out no-bid contracts requested by Democrats and approved by the review panel, which has a Democratic majority.
One of the contracts they listed was another no bid contract with the address listed as a personal residence. During its last meeting, the panel approved the contract requested by the Senate president pro tem's office with Douglas Simms of Montgomery for $10,119 to "create, host and maintain a Web site for the Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore."

When a reporter mentioned that contract to Holmes, D-Montgomery, on Monday, just before he took the contract to Riley and asked him not to sign it, the legislator laughed.
"He's not concerned about the $13 million, but he’s concerned about the $10,000," Holmes responded.
The list provided by Riley’s office included, among others, a contract for Senate Majority Leader Zeb Little, D-Cullman, with former Sen. Bill Drinkard, who was pardoned in 2005 for his conviction for involvement in a kickback scheme a decade earlier. The state pays Drinkard $50,000 through a no-bid contract to "advise, consult and assist the Alabama Senate Majority leader."

Other contracts requested and received by Democrats include a $48,000 contract to develop an internet communications system; $12,000 to organize and present seminars; $49,000 for legislative help for the House majority leader; $40,000 for consulting services; $75,000 for legal work related to the stimulus bill; $75,000 for legal work related to employment issues; $47,500 for consulting on prisons; and $82,200 for media and public relations for the lieutenant governor's office.
There were also $350,000 no bid contracts for security personnel for the State House.
Ross and Bedford said large and small contracts should be scrutinized and include information about who is being paid, how much they are receiving and what work is done for the money.
Ross said, in talking about the contract with Simms, that he has not submitted an invoice, but that he should include one with the hours he has worked and the work he has performed to be paid.

He said Paragon has not been forthcoming with the information legislators have requested, even after a subpoena was issued.
Paragon and the state Department of Finance delivered documents to the committee after subpoenas were issued requesting information on who was paid through the contracts, how much they received, where they lived, and what work was done for the money.
Holmes said on Monday that there is little information on what work was performed for the money and there is no information on which the subcontractors were paying to do the work.

"They should be able to give an accounting of the work they've done," Ross said.
The administration and the Democratic lawmakers disagree over whether Paragon had the authority to hire subcontractors to perform the work.
Administration officials have said no one has questioned the quality of the work performed by Paragon. The company has helped the state, over the last two years, develop a blueprint to try to overhaul the state's computer system used for financial functions including payroll and purchasing.

The system has yet to be overhauled and no equipment has been purchased with the more than $5.5 million paid to Paragon, but the amended contract with the remainder of the $12.9 million would include work to update part of the system and money to help prepare for any audit of the federal stimulus funds received by the state.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Holmes delivers contract to Riley, asks him not to sign it

The chairman of a legislative panel that held up an almost $13 million no-bid contract for 45 days delivered the document to the office of Gov. Bob Riley on Monday and asked him not to sign it.
The legislative contract review committee can hold up a contract for 45 days, but cannot stop it. Monday was the last day that the committee could delay the contract.
Riley is expected to sign the amended contract with Paragon Source LLC, but will review it first, according to his spokesman.
The chairman of the committee, state Rep. Alvin Holmes, talked to the media Monday before walking the contract to the Capitol to personally deliver it. Security told Holmes the governor was not available, although Holmes said he had been told he could meet with Riley.
Acting Finance Director Bill Newton then came out and, after a brief curt exchange with Holmes, took the contract from him.
While Holmes was ranting to the media about the situation outside of the office, Riley staffers invited the longtime legislator through security. They offered for him to meet with Riley, but Holmes said he was not coming in without the media.
Riley, a Republican, left through another door for a meeting without talking to Holmes, but his staff said he could meet with Holmes later in the afternoon.
Holmes, D-Montgomery, also released to the media the list of people paid through the contract. The state has already paid more than $5.5 million to the company through a contract that expired last month. The contract currently before Riley was an amendment to extend that agreement for two years and bring the total to $12.9 million.
The original contract was for $1.45 million.
The legislative panel approved the previous contracts.
Todd Stacy, press secretary for Riley, questioned why lawmakers approved the previous agreements, but are fighting the amendment.
"No one has ever called into question the product and the work that this company has done," he said. "In fact, by all accounts, they have performed exceptionally. ... If (Holmes) has a complaint about the work product, I haven't heard it."
Some of the documents released by Holmes on Monday show some people were paid up to $43,000 in a month and some of those same people received more than $20,000 a month for months at a time.
"There is no description of the work these individuals did for this money," Holmes said.
He also said the information does not include who the subcontractors paid so there is no indication of who all was receiving money through the contract.
Stacy said the finance department has turned over every document it has on the Paragon contract to the committee.
"The Department of Finance cannot produce a document out of thin air because Rep. Holmes wants it," he said.
One person who was paid through the contract was Sandra Porter, who was the administrative assistant to former Deputy Finance Director Andy Hornsby.
Stacy said Porter was paid through the contract and did not receive a separate salary from the state.
According to the documents, Porter was paid $50 an hour with totals of up to $6,680 a month. Her last check was for work in October 2008, which is when Hornsby retired from the finance department. Other people received as much as $220 an hour for consulting.
Holmes and members of his committee voted to issue subpoenas earlier this month to Newton and to Janet Lauderdale, the president of Paragon, after they felt they did not receive information they requested.
Newton and Lauderdale's attorney delivered documents to Holmes, but he said they raise more questions because there is not information on who was paid by the subcontractors.
Holmes and other members of the committee have expressed concerns about awarding a $13 million, no-bid computer consulting contract to a company with no Web site and no listed phone number while the company lists personal residences as its headquarters in Virginia and in a subdivision in east Montgomery.
Holmes said he has not accused anybody of wrongdoing.
Riley spokesmen have said Paragon personnel have worked for the state since the early 1990s, have institutional knowledge and are equipped to help the state revamp the computer system it uses for financial functions including payroll and purchasing.
Paragon has mapped out a blueprint to overhaul the computer system in the state and the amended contract would include money to follow through and to help the state prepare for any audit of the money it received as part of the federal stimulus package.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

James and Wise to speak to Montgomery County Republicans

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim James, and Republican candidate for the Alabama Supreme Court Judge Kelli Wise will speak to the Montgomery County Republicans Oct. 19.

The event will be held in the Faulkner University cafeteria at 6:45 p.m.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Gubernatorial Candidates to Sign Pledge

Five of the nine candidates for governor will be on the steps of the State Capitol Friday to sign vow to uphold the integrity of the office of governor if either of them is elected.

Christian Coalition of Alabama chairman Dr. Randy Brinson has asked each gubernatorial candidate to sign a pledge that states that any person holding the office of governor shall uphold the integrity of that office and ensure that the trust of Alabamians is not violated by the governor’s office.

Candidates Robert Bentley, Bill Johnson and Ron Sparks will attend the event at 11:30 a.m. along with representatives from Artur Davis and Bradley Byrne's campaigns. All nine candidates have stated their support for the pledge.

“This pledge is a commitment by these candidates, running for the highest office in the state of Alabama, to uphold the integrity of the office and responsibilities vested to them by the people of Alabama,” said Brinson.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Judge Wise to Announce Bid for State Supreme Court

State Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Kelli Wise will announce her candidacy for associate justice of the Alabama Supreme Court during on Monday, October 19 at 11 a.m.

Wise plans to seek the Republican nomination for the Place 1 associate justice seat being vacated by retiring Justice Patti Smith.

The announcement will be at the Montgomery Republican Party headquarters in the Vaughn Plaza Shopping Center, which is located near the intersection of Vaughn Road and Eastern Boulevard.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Roby Launches Campaign Web Site

Martha Roby, Republican candidate for the 2nd Congressional District, announced the launch of her campaign’s new website, www.MarthaRoby.com.

"The site was designed to allow voters to become more involved in my campaign, learn more about the values that I represent and know that there is a better way than the direction this Congress is leading our nation,” said Roby. "This site makes it easy for supporters to get involved by volunteering, requesting campaign materials and spreading news about my campaign to their families and friends. This new site and the online communities that accompany it are an integral part of this campaign’s effort.”

At the site, voters can read Roby's blog, sign up to volunteer, learn more about her positions on the issues and interact with the campaign’s other social networking sites.

“These functions will be extremely helpful in getting our conservative message out in the communities throughout the district so the voters will know there is a better way for America," added Roby.

Roby announced last May that she would seek the 2nd Congressional District seat and is the only Republican candidate in the race. She will face incumbent U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright, D-Montgomery.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Ivey says 'Thanks for the compliment, but...'

State Treasurer Kay Ivey, a Republican candidate for governor, thanked Democratic gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis for comments he made about her during a recent campaign stop to unveil his plans to save the state money if he is elected, but that was about all she could find to be thankful for when it came to the rest of what he said Monday.

Ivey released the following statement Tuesday: “I thank Artur Davis for recognizing my leadership in bringing more transparency and accountability to state government.

"But he has some strange ideas for accomplishing it. He says he’s the only candidate who favors a constitutional convention. There’s a reason he’s alone on that – it’s a bad idea.

"Mr. Davis also wants to reduce outsourcing state work to the private sector; instead he would swell the state payroll when we’re already under proration. And he says he’ll give us yet another 'special commission' to identify wasteful spending.

"I’m happy to spare Mr. Davis the trouble by sharing the tips I learned by cutting nearly $5 million in addition to proration cuts out of the State Treasurer’s budget in administrative overhead. We don’t need to elect a governor who needs on-the-job training; we need a leader who delivers effective results as I have done as treasurer and will continue to do as governor.”

Ivey is one of seven vying for the Republican nomination for governor. She will face former state Chancellor Bradley Byrne, state Rep. Robert Bentley, former director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Bill Johnson, Greenville businessman Tim James, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and James Potts in the Republican primary in June 2010.
-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Bentley Oulines Aggressive Pro-Life Legislative Packet

If state Rep. Robert Bentley, R-Tuscaloosa, has his way during the 2010 legislative session the state could be a step closer to outlawing most abortions and allowing health care providers to refuse to provide services that they felt violated their conscience.

In a press conference Tuesday, Bentley announced his intention to pre-file bills for the upcoming 2010 legislative session that would do both. In addition, he is introducing a bill that would insert new language into the state's existing abortion law. He also will introduce a resolution opposing the federal Freedom of Choice Act, which would codify Roe v. Wade.

Bentley, who also is a Republican candidate for governor, said that he knows that his amendment to outlaw abortion would be challenged immediately and could cost the state money to defend it, but he said its the right thing to do. He also said its an opportunity to force legislators and candidates for governor to prove that they are truly pro-life.

"This will be a great test case to determine the state's authority to regulate itself under the 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution," he said.


-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Poll Shows Strong Support for Gaming, Lottery

A new poll from the Capital Survey Research Center on statewide 2010 legislative and election issues shows a sampling of 556 likely voters strongly support regulating and taxing gaming in the state, and the majority of those surveyed would support a lottery and casinos.

More than half of them would also be more likely to vote for a candidate for governor who supports allowing, regulating and taxing gaming and gambling in the state, including a lottery and casinos.

The Capital Survey Research Center is the polling arm of the Alabama Education Association.

Check out the complete survey here:

http://www.myaea.org/PDFfile/Surveys/2010LegislativeElectionIssues.pdf

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Draft Committee Wants Former State Sen. Dial to Run

Former Clay County School Superintendent Don Fulbright on Monday announced he has formed a draft committee to encourage former State Sen. Gerald Dial to seek the legislative seat he previously held.

Fulbright said in a news release that he has created the Dependable Active Intelligent Leadership Political Action Committee, known as DIAL PAC, which will be used to fund Dial’s campaign, should he decide to run. He said that Dial was not involved in the formation of the PAC.

“Since Gerald left the Senate, citizens in the district have noticed a distinct change in the level of representation we have received. That’s not meant to slight anyone, but Gerald left big shoes to fill,” Fulbright said. “With the high unemployment, economic turmoil and other issues facing our state and our area, we need Gerald’s experience and leadership in the State House now more than ever.”

Dial represented District 13 in the Alabama State Senate for 24 years before being narrowly defeated during a highly contentious 2006 party primary. He previously served two terms in the House of Representatives. State Sen. Kim Benefield, D-Woodland, now holds the seat, but has been tight-lipped about whether she will stand for re-election in 2010.

In February of 2007, Gov. Bob Riley appointed Dial to head the Rural Alabama Action Commission, a group similar to his Black Belt Commission but with a larger regional focus. Among its current projects are the Kid Check program, which is designed to improve children’s health in rural areas, and a broadband initiative working to expand high speed Internet access to all regions of the state.

Dial, a Lineville native, also has worked in real estate development and retired as the assistant adjutant general of the Alabama National Guard after 36 years of service.

“Gerald has done an outstanding job leading the Rural Action Commission and has decided to focus his energies and attention on that project at this time,” Fulbright said. “We hope that our draft committee and accompanying PAC will show him the level of support and excitement surrounding his potential candidacy and encourage him to run.”

In addition to Fulbright, several public officials and individuals in counties within the Senate district are lending their names to the draft effort. Those individuals include:

Chambers County Valley Councilman Ray Edwards, Chambers Co. GOP Chair Cary Baldwin
Clay County Ashland City Councilman Mike Beale
Cleburne County Heflin Mayor Anna Berry, Tommy Taylor
Randolph County Randolph Co. GOP Chair Bob Fincher, Dean Wysner, Jim Yarborough

As committee chairman, Fulbright will serve as the group’s spokesman, solicit funds for DIAL PAC and oversee its operations. Should Dial decide not to proceed with a candidacy, he said PAC contributions will be returned to the original donors who request while the remainder will be donated to the campaign of a like-minded candidate.

Fulbright served as superintendent of Clay County Schools from 1984 until his retirement in 2001. He previously worked as a classroom teacher and as the federal program coordinator for the Clay County Board of Education.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Davis Outlines Taxpayer Protection Plan

Democratic candidate for governor Artur Davis says the next governor could cut waste and save more then $600 million by copying ideas that have worked in other states.

Davis held a news conference Monday in Montgomery, where he called for more aggressive prosecution of Medicaid fraud, more tax auditors to collect unpaid taxes, the elimination of no-bid state contracts, and a reduction in the outsourcing of state government work.

He also called for retrofitting state buildings to save energy costs and more efficient management of state vehicles. Davis said cost savings are necessary because the next governor will face a serious financial crisis exceeding $1 billion.
Davis is running against state Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks in the Democratic primary in June 2010.

-- AP

Medical Board dinged by auditors

State Sen. Larry Dixon said he will give up the state vehicle and gas card he is given as part of his compensation as executive director of the Board of Medical Examiners after concerns were raised by state auditors.
Dixon, R-Montgomery, and the general counsel for the board both plan to give up their state vehicles, but he said he has had a vehicle as part of his compensation since 1985 and auditors who look at the board every two years have never had an issue with it before.
"The last thing I want to do is make the Board of Medical Examiners look like they are not following the law, even though we think we are," Dixon said. " ... Rather than make it look like this is something the board is doing controversial, we will give up a very big part of our benefit package."
The Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts released an audit of the Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Licensure Commission on Friday. The audit is of Oct. 1, 2005, to Sept. 30, 2008. The board handles the administration and finances for the licensure commission.
State auditors pointed out several other concerns at the two entities.

Auditors questioned whether use of a state vehicle as compensation is legal and said the board should seek an opinion from the attorney general. Dixon said he sought an opinion from the attorney general, who informed him through a letter that he could not issue an opinion because Dixon already had the vehicle and the point was moot. The executive director said the Medical Practice Act allows the board to set his compensation, which he said was outlined in the letter.
Auditors cited state law: "It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to use or permit any other person to use any state-owned automobile for any purpose other than official state business," although there are some allowances for travel to and from the place of employment to the employee's residence.
Dixon and the general counsel used the vehicles for personal use and official business, according to the audit.
Auditors also found that the board did not submit a legal services contract to the legislative contract review committee, which is required by law.
The contract is with the Medical Association of the State of Alabama providing compensation of $60,000 a year and is not based on an hourly rate, according to the audit.
Dixon said he dropped the ball on the contract. He said the board had a contract with the attorney at the association for 15 years and he did not submit the contract when they hired a new attorney. The board hires a lot of lawyers to help with action on the licenses of physicians, Dixon said.
"That was just a mistake on my part. It has now gone through the contract review committee," he said.
Dixon, as a lawmaker, authored legislation creating the contract review committee.
Auditors referred to the law in the report: "Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, all contracts for employment of an attorney to provide legal services, including contracts involving an attorney providing legal services under an agreement with the attorney general, shall be reviewed by the committee."
In a February 2003 memorandum that then-Attorney General Bill Pryor sent to all state departments, boards, agencies, commissions and institutions, he attached a policy statement stating that "All legal services contracts must be sent to the legislative contract review committee."
The audit also pointed out an unresolved previous finding from 2001, which contended the board "did not competitively bid procurement of goods and services which are required to be bid under the provisions of the Code of Alabama ... The Board did not competitively bid purchases of janitorial services, building remodeling, and copy/print paper, all of which exceeded $7,500 in one fiscal year."
State law "requires all contracts of whatever nature for labor, services, work, or for the purchase or lease of materials, equipment, supplies, or other personal property, involving $7,500 or more to be let by free and open competitive bidding."
Auditors selected seven vendors used by the board and found that four of those were not competitively bid or put through a request for proposal process as required by law.
Prior to the completion of the audit report, the board did send out requests for proposals for new court reporting services, which were among the four noted for not being bid out.
Dixon said some of the other areas, such as janitorial services, have since been bid out.
"I am not aware of what those issues are, in particular. We will comply with all the findings," he said. "We always do."
Other findings include: "either inaccurate or incomplete" minutes kept from board meetings; not filing the necessary forms with the Internal Revenue Service for some law firms that worked for the board in 2007; and not compensating employees with the proper accrued leave time upon their departure.
Several of the issues were addressed during the auditing period.
Dixon said auditors were there off and on for four months.
"They're going to find something," he said.
Dixon said the board has been audited every two years for 30 years and they find "something new every time" even though the procedures have not changed at the board.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Bright has office hours on Monday

U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright, as part of his weekend schedule, will have office hours in Montgomery on Monday. He will meet individually with constituents from 10 a.m. to noon at his district office in Montgomery, which is located downtown in Suite 1B at 22 Monroe St.
Bright, D-Montgomery, held office hours in New Brockton on Friday afternoon.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Administration delivers boxes of info on computer contract

Acting Finance Director Bill Newton wheeled boxes of documents over to the State House on Friday after subpoenas were issued by lawmakers for the information on Wednesday.
The legislative contract review committee subpoenaed information from Newton and Janet Lauderdale, president of Paragon Source LLC, about a contract between her company and the finance department.
Committee members have questioned an amendment to the contract with Paragon, which could bring the total up to $13 million over four years. After feeling some information they requested had not been provided, the committee voted 4-1 on Wednesday to issue the subpoenas.
Newton, after the press was alerted about the delivery of the materials, loaded boxes on a cart and rolled them from the Capitol across South Union Street to the State House.
When Newton arrived at the sixth floor office at the State House at 3:42 p.m., the clerk for the contract review committee was not there and the door was locked, according to a release from Gov. Bob Riley's office.
Newton then called the office of Greg Pappas, clerk of the House of Representatives, and was told the documents could be delivered to his office.
Newton provided all of the documents the finance department has on the contract, according to the release from Riley's office.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the review committee, said Friday that his panel wants the names, addresses, and job descriptions of the people who have been paid through the contract.
"I don't know why they need boxes and boxes of documents. They can do that on four or five sheets of paper," said the Montgomery Democrat.
He said Lauderdale's attorney was served with her subpoena on Friday afternoon, as well.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Ivey answering 31 questions in 31 days

State Treasurer Kay Ivey is in the midst of "31 Answers in 31 Days" as she ramps up her campaign for governor.
People can ask Ivey, a Republican, questions that are important to them without leaving their home or office.
She will answer a different question each day of the month.
People can participate, see the answers and ask questions at her revamped Web site, http://www.kayivey.org/.
She has used the initiative to share campaign platforms including her push for charter schools in Alabama.
Ivey has also discussed gambling, property tax reappraisals, abortion and workforce development.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Lawmakers issue subpoenas over $13 million contract

A legislative panel issued subpoenas on Wednesday for information from the state finance department and a company that is up for a $13 million state contract.
The legislative contract review committee issued subpoenas to Acting Finance Director Bill Newton and to Janet Lauderdale, chief executive officer of Paragon Consulting LLC.
The finance department is requesting an amendment to a contract with Paragon, which could pay the computer consulting company up to $13 million over four years.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the legislative contract review committee, and other members are requesting information about who is being paid through the no-bid, $13 million contract.
The committee voted 4-1 to issue the subpoenas on Wednesday.
Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said he thought the committee was going beyond its scope and questioned issuing a subpoena to a company that has performed the work it was asked to do through a contract with the state and was compensated accordingly.
Marsh was the only member of the committee to vote against the subpoenas.
The committee also approved a contract for $195 an hour up to $200,000 with attorney Tyrone Means of Thomas, Means, Gillis & Seay, P.C., to represent the committee in handling the contract between Paragon and the finance department.
Several people have been critical of the no-bid contract because the company has no listed phone number, e-mail address or Web site, and the headquarters for Paragon are listed as personal residences in Virginia and in a gated community in east Montgomery. Holmes asked the governor not to sign the contract, but spokesmen for Gov. Bob Riley have said lawyers have looked at the contract and not found any legal concerns.
Newton said the company has performed well in helping the state to revamp the computer system used for its finances including payroll and paying bills. The amendment to the contract would also include funding for Paragon to help the state comply with requirements of the federal stimulus funds.
The committee requested documents from Paragon and the finance department about the name of each person and subcontractor paid through the contract and how much they received, their address, a description of the work they performed, and copies of the invoices and supporting documents related to payments under contracts with Paragon.
They were told to turn over the documents by Oct. 14.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Ron Sparks: 'Byrne Humiliates and Insults Teachers'

Democratic candidate for governor Ron Sparks took Republican candidate Bradley Byrne to task for his recent announcement that he would not accept money from the state's education lobby.

His campaign issued the following statement Wednesday:

"Yesterday, thousands of classroom teachers and school support workers were publicly humiliated and insulted by the remarks made by (former) Chancellor Bradley Byrne. Making no attempt to cloak his contempt for the rank and file public education employees, Byrne launched an unwarranted and unfounded attack on the Alabama Education Association.

"Byrne said that advocates for public education, the most effective being AEA, have been “the single greatest impediment to quality education in this state” and that somehow standing up for school teachers “short changes” some of the hardest working folks among us. Perhaps Chancellor Byrne needs to reevaluate his definition of “short changed” and “impediment.”

• Ask a school teacher in any rural Alabama county who they can count on to stand up for them when an unruly Republican administration stands to cut their pay and benefits
• Ask a janitor at a small elementary school who he/she depends on when Mr. Byrne’s friends in Montgomery look to eliminate their jobs
• Ask a single mother trying to raise a family by herself how important it is to have somebody fighting to make sure that her children have the resources they need in the classroom

"(Former) Chancellor Byrne must feel a need to pick a fight with AEA to motivate the extreme right wing of his party who feels humdrum about his candidacy for governor. Ron Sparks has traveled the state from one end to the other, meeting and speaking with thousands of AEA members.

“Today, I’m proud to stand in support of the transformation AEA has delivered to our state’s educational system. I am also proud to be the only Democrat willing to stand side by side with AEA against baseless, politically motivated attacks such as this.

“Without the strong support of the education community, I wouldn't have won 62 out of 67 counties in my last election and been the leading vote getter among all Democrats on the ballot. Make no mistake about it, I will continue to be an active voice and an advocate for the hard working men and women employed in public education in Alabama.

"Much will be asked of the next governor of this state and those working in public education. It is absolutely essential that the next governor have a strong working relationship with the education community in order to weather the financial storms that loom on the horizon.

"With the impending financial crisis in this state, never has this relationship been more important. The Democratic Party cannot and will not thrive without the support of public education. We must have a partnership with public education to build a better, stronger Alabama."

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Davis Camp Weighs in on Byrne's Pledge, AEA

Republican's candidate Bradley Byrne's pledge to refuse money from the Alabama Education Association, and challenge to fellow Republican's to do the same is creating a buzz in both parties.

Democratic candidate, U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, issued the following statement about Byrne's recent announcement.

“I have disagreed with AEA’s leadership on charter schools, and I am an advocate of reforms that will strengthen confidence in higher education. That may explain why I have not received AEA’s financial support in the governor’s race.

"But after experiencing seven years in Washington of bitter infighting and the demonization of political adversaries, I think that Bradley Byrne’s denunciation of AEA is the opposite of the consensus building a governor needs to practice.

"I want to go to Montgomery to build a new coalition to revitalize our schools from pre-K to higher education, and it is wrong to think that AEA and teachers can be excluded from the table.”

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Republican Candidates Respond to Byrne's Challenge

Bradley Byrne's fellow Republican candidates for governor had a mixed response to a challenge that he has issued to them to not accept any money -- directly or indirectly -- from the Alabama Education Association.

Byrne is competing with six other candidates for the Republican nomination and this is what five of them had to say:

Mark Powell, a spokesman for state Treasurer Kay Ivey, said she would be willing to sign the pledge. "Given my campaign's strong support for charter schools for Alabama and my determination to reduce the bloated education bureaucracy, I'm the last candidate AEA would support," Ivey said in a statement. "I gladly welcome Bradley Byrne joining me in standing up to AEA's big-money politics as usual."

Brett Hall, spokesman for Greenville businessman Tim James, said he'd be shocked if AEA contributed any funds to their campaign. "I figure if they were going to give us any money we'd have to return it because we don't agree with AEA on anything except that students in Alabama need better than what they're getting," he said.

State Rep. Robert Bentley, R-Tuscaloosa, said Byrne's pledge is a political ploy, and he would not be a party to it. Bentley said he received money from AEA as a state legislator, and he suspects many Republicans, including Byrne, have also because of PAC-to-PAC transfers. In fact he said the only public official in the state that he knows who hasn't received any PAC contributions is state Rep. Jeff McLaughlin, D-Guntersville. "I won't make my campaign about any one person or any one group," Bentley said. "We all need to work together to make Alabama a better state."

John Wahl, a spokesman for Judge Roy Moore, said Moore has a track record of not being bought or sold by political money. “I have not received any contributions from the Alabama Education Association, and based upon my past record with Paul Hubbert, I do not expect too," Moore said in a statement.

Bill Johnson said, "Are we talking about the Bradley Byrne, candidate for governor, who accepted Alabama Education money in a past campaign as documented by a Byrne finance report located here: http://arc-sos.state.al.us/PEL/SOSELPDF.002/E0014259.PDF (page 1)? And are we talking about the same Bradley Byrne, Republican candidate for governor, who accepted state Democratic Committee money in a past campaign as documented by a Byrne finance report located here: http://arc-sos.state.al.us/PEL/SOSELPDF.002/E0061980.PDF (page 7)? Please, I believe Alabama citizens have had enough of candidates and elected officials who do one thing and then say another. Our campaign slogan is 'Together for a Better Alabama.' We fully intend to request the support and votes from ALL citizens in this state and commit to work together with all citizens to make Alabama a better place to live and work for all of us when elected."

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Lawmakers to discuss $13 million contract

State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the legislative contract review committee, told South Union Street's Sebastian Kitchen on Tuesday that he will subpoena records from a company that received a $13 million computer contract if the information is not given to him.
Holmes, D-Montgomery, requested for Janet Lauderdale, who runs Paragon Source LLC, to attend the Wednesday meeting of the legislative review committee. He said he received a letter on Tuesday from the attorney for Lauderdale stating she would not attend the meeting, but that he would be there to answer questions.
Holmes requested documents showing who was being paid through the $13 million contract and how much they were being paid.
Acting Finance Director Bill Newton sent a letter to Holmes stating that the state sends the money to the contractor, Paragon, who performs the work, and does not have information on who the private company pays through the contract.
Holmes said it was the first time since he has been on the committee that a state department refused to release such information to the oversight panel.
Several people have been critical of the no-bid contract because the headquarters for Paragon are listed as personal residences in Virginia and in a gated community in east Montgomery. Holmes asked the governor not to sign the contract, but spokesmen for Gov. Bob Riley have said lawyers have looked at the contract and not found any legal concerns.
Newton said the company has performed well in helping the state to revamp the computer system used for its finances including payroll and paying bills.
The legislative contract review committee meets at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the State House.

Byrne Challenges Fellow Republicans to say 'No' to AEA Money

Republican candidate for governor Bradley Byrne signed a pledge that he would not directly or indirectly take money from the state's powerful education lobby, and he wants his fellow Republican candidates for governor to pledge to do the same.

In a press conference Tuesday on the steps of the State Capitol, with the Alabama Education Association's headquarters below him on Dexter Avenue, Byrne signed what he calls the "Leadership Challenge for Educational Excellence" pledge.

Byrne said AEA has millions of dollars at its disposal to influence political races, and it has demonstrated in the past that it will not hesitate to use those dollars to influence Republican races. The top leaders of the AEA, Paul Hubbert and Joe Reed, are prominent members of the state Democratic Party.

There's no love lost between Byrne and the AEA. Byrne said he has gone head-to-head with the organization over the teacher tenure law when he was a state senator and over the state Board of Education's double-dipping policy when he was chancellor of the state's two-year college system.

"I think we're seeing the beginning of the end of AEA's stranglehold on Montgomery," he said.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Former Riley appointee goes after Riley ... again

Republican candidate for governor Bill Johnson is again taking issue with Gov. Bob Riley's involvement with negotiations over the billions in sewer debt in Jefferson County.
In a Montgomery Advertiser article a week ago, a spokesman for Riley said the governor had not been involved in the sewer negotiations in almost a year and said "this guy has no idea what he's talking about."
Johnson, who had worked alongside Riley politically since at least 1996, said he and other people were surprised by the comments of Riley Press Secretary Todd Stacy. Johnson had called on Riley to recuse himself from the negotiations because of connections of two family members to law firms working with Jefferson County. He said there was the appearance of a conflict of interest, but has accused no one of wrongdoing.
In a release on Monday, Johnson referenced a Birmingham News story from March 25 reading "Gov. Bob Riley has formally asked the Obama Administration to guarantee Jefferson County's bonds as part of a debt-restructuring plan to solve the $3.9 billion sewer debt crisis. ... Riley, who is serving as the county's lead negotiator, met in Washington last month with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to discuss federal help for the county."
Johnson, in a statement, said "if the governor is no longer serving as Jefferson County's lead negotiator, that would be news to the citizens of Jefferson County and the bond holders of the debt." Along with that work on the county's sewer debt, Johnson said Riley sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, and to U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, ranking member of the committee. The letter, in which Riley writes about work on the sewer debt, is dated less than five months ago.
Despite the comments from Stacy, Johnson said it is obvious Riley was involved.
"The issue in question, however, is not the governor's continued discussions on behalf of Jefferson County," he said. "The governor, as chief executive officer of the state, is an appropriate figure to negotiate crises such as those surrounding Jefferson County, as long as the involvement does not present the appearance of a conflict of interest or unjust enrichment to the negotiator or his family. It is for that reason and that reason alone that I believe the governor should step away from involvement in the Jefferson County sewer crisis, occupational taxes and other negotiations."
Stacy said Riley's family has not benefited from his role in Jefferson County. The governor has adamantly denied his family has benefited financially from his time as governor.
"Either Johnson knows this and his complaining is a silly ploy to get attention for his campaign, or he has no clue what's going on with the state's largest county," Stacy said in a response a week ago.
The president of the Jefferson County Commission, Bettye Fine Collins, said last week that she was shocked by Johnson's comments, which she said are unfounded.
Johnson has criticized the administration several times since resigning this summer.
Johnson worked on Riley's campaigns for Congress and governor and had served in his cabinet as director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

White Hall mayor pleads guilty to violating state ethics law

White Hall Mayor John Jackson has pleaded guilty to ethics charges, agreed to resign within 72 hours and pay $43,609 in restitution, according to a release from the office of Attorney General Troy King.
Jackson pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor for violating state ethics law by depositing a check intended for the town of White Hall, which is west of Montgomery in Lowndes County. He pleaded guilty in Lowndes County Circuit Court.
Jackson cannot qualify to run for public office within the next two years. He must pay the restitution to White Hall by Nov. 20.
The Circuit Court will consider the state's recommendation for a 12-month sentence and the defendant's application for probation on Dec. 2.
"This conviction is important because it will remove an admitted criminal from office, and it will return money that rightfully belongs to citizens of White Hall to the town's treasury," King said.
State prosecutors presented evidence to a Lowndes County grand jury, which resulted in Jackson's indictment in 2008.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Barkley on Artur Davis, Obama, and a lottery in Alabama

To read more about basketball great Charles Barkley talking about race, Artur Davis' chances in 2010, President Obama, a lottery, Gene Chizik, and the upcoming NBA season, click on:


http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20091001/SPORTS/910010330/Outspoken-Barkley-s-comments-at-pro-am-are-par-for-the-course

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Davis Reaches Fundraising Goal

A spokesman for Democratic gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, said that Davis' fundraising goal of generating $25,000 by Sept. 30 has been met.

Davis was far from his goal at 10 a.m. Monday, having raised only about $7,210.

The camp was still seeking money late Wednesday afternoon -- fundraising had reached about $18,715 -- when another e-mail plea to supporters went out.

Davis reached his goal of raising the money just before midnight, according to spokesman Alex Goepfert.


-- posted by Markeshia Ricks