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