Alabama Politicians Benefit From BP Oil Spill
Since our first report on the Trip Pittman/Bob James Scandals, Trip Pittman has come back to say that the ethics charges against him are “a political grudge” or vendetta.
Fairhope Mayor Tim Kant says accusations of the city’s involvement are “conspiracy theories.”
This isn’t about political parties.
No one in their right mind believes that Baldwin County will elect a Democrat to the state Senate any time soon.
To review:
- State Sen. Trip Pittman’s company Pittman Tractor Co. was awarded $639,000 by the city of Fairhope for oil spill response work. At the time, Pittman was in charge of dispersing the $15 million provided to Baldwin County by BP. Kant says Pittman “had an adverse reaction” when he was told the contract should be bid out instead of just being given to him.
- When Baldwin County EMA Director Leigh Anne Ryals called attention to this conflict of interest and Baldwin County legal counsel Scott Barnett decided the situation posed an ethics violation, Pittman came back with a second set of paperwork that listed Oil Recovery Co. Inc. (OCR) as the contractor instead of Pittman Tractor. But the city still paid Pittman for the work as contractor.
- Other local businessmen told the Press-Register they were shut out of the process: “I showed Trip Pittman our absorbent barrier boom. … Not only did he not forward this info to anyone weeks before any votes for boom were cast, but he never told me that he was in charge of the BP funds,” Silverhill’s Don White said.
- Ryals and other Baldwin department heads that questioned Pittman’s involvement, such as County Administrator Michael Thompson, have resigned or been demoted.
- Pittman has been pushing for an interchange at Baldwin County 13 and I-10 while he and Commissioner Bob James hold financial interest in property located near the proposed interchange.
- Bob James’ James Bros. Excavating Inc. was recently awarded a $1.1 million contract by Fairhope for disaster (i.e. hurricane) debris removal. The contract was previously held by Pittman Tractor Co.
Pittman and Kant have since given scattered and contradictory accounts as to why their actions in assigning the contract were legal.
But no explanation has been given to the apparent falsification of the contract in OCR’s name or the personnel changes.
In the meantime, we await word as to whether the claims will be investigated by our new, ethical state legislature. In fact, Pittman has been named Chairman of the Finance and Taxation-Education Committee, which has responsibility for the state education budget.
Whose idea was it to name a politician with pending ethics claims to be responsible for the part of state government most in need of cleaning up?
If the Republican want to be seen as more ethical than the Democrats, they should investigate the charges and – unless there is something we are all missing – ask Pittman to step down.
Pittman is claiming to have seen the light – now that he has been caught. He told Lagniappe:
“Certainly I didn’t understand public perception of how seriously some people take that you shouldn’t do business when you’re in office, and I understand that now.”
The fact is – despite our past, we should expect South Alabama politicians not to enrich themselves at the public trough (what a concept).
If you do government work – then don’t run for office. Period. Else we get these slimeballs in office (or a cartel of them).
Apparently Pittman met with the Press-Register editorial board and said he “wouldn’t do it again,” so all is supposed to be forgiven and forgotten.
But it is too late for Pittman and James – they shouldn’t get away with it.
South Alabamans need to have zero tolerance for this BS.
There are other, decent people who can represent us.
Trip Pittman and Bob James just need to be voted out, period. If not, we are asking for our politicans to keep trying to rip us off until they get caught and then they can just seek forgiveness.
No more easy money for politicians – while those of us lucky enough to have a job are working our rears off to pay those taxes.
Read more here: http://modmobilian.com/2011/01/10/corruption-in-baldwin-county/
Or here on the new Alabama Commission on Improving State Government: http://www.thegovmonitor.com/world_news/united_states/alabama-creates-commission-on-improving-state-government-45386.html
Topics: 2011, accountability, Alabama, America, Baldwin County, Bob James, Bob James’ James Bros. Excavating Inc., BP, British Petroleum, business, Democrat, economic development, economic growth, Economy, education, EMA, ethics, Fairhope, Finance and Taxation-Education Committee, Governance, government, Gulf Coast, interchange, investment, land, legislature, Leigh Anne Ryals, Michael Thompson, moniter, monitor, news, oil spill, open government, Pittman Tractor Co., politics, property, Republicans, scandal, Scott Barnett, society, state Senate, taxpayers, Tim Kant, transparency, Trip Pittman, U.S., United States
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