The Alabama Republican Party

For Immediate Release 
October 6, 2009

ALABAMA REPUBLICAN PARTY CHALLENGES DEMOCRATS TO “QUIT TALKING AND START ACTING” ON ETHICS

Birmingham, AL – In response to a recent editorial by Senator Zeb Little (D-Cullman), the Alabama Republican Party calls on Alabama Democrats to either endorse and help pass Governor Bob Riley’s proposed ethics legislation, or admit once and for all that cleaning up the corruption in Montgomery is not a priority for them. 

In his editorial, Senator Little paints a nice picture about Democrat support of the Alabama Ethics Commission. Little, however, fails to mention that just last year, he co-sponsored legislation that would limit investigations by the Ethics Commission to only 30-days. That would have effectively prevented any meaningful investigations into allegations of unethical activity by the Commission.

The fact is, Democrats have consistently blocked proposals that would give the Alabama Ethics Commission subpoena power, a much-needed tool afforded to every single ethics commission in the country – except Alabama.

“If protecting the tax dollars of the people weren’t such an incredibly serious issue, the fact that Democrats keep ignoring their failures on ethics reform would be laughable,” said Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.  “Year after year, election after election, Democrats offer more promises of tougher corruption laws, yet they consistently fail to back up their words.”

Democrats in Alabama have offered hypocritical promises when it comes to ethics, including their 2006 pledge to ban PAC-to-PAC transfers. Democrats even sponsored and pushed for legislation to keep the double-dipping ban from going into effect, despite the fact that the corrupt practice has recently resulted in several indictments and convictions.

Given his past statements on ethics, the mere fact that Senator Little even wrote an editorial on the subject is the height of audacity and hypocrisy.  In June of this year, Little dismissed ethics legislation as a non-priority because he only reacts to “the wants of our constituents,” and he did not receive a single email asking about ethics reform… (Montgomery Advertiser 5.28.09)

It’s not surprising that ethics reform legislation was noticeably absent when the Democrats unveiled their legislative agenda.

For his part, Alabama Democrat Party Executive Director Jim Spearman was more candid and stated “It's just not something that everybody really cares a lot about." (Montgomery Advertiser 6.30.09)

Editorials, lip service and promises of ethics reform are all hallmarks of the Democrat playbook - But the game always ends the same.

“As the majority enters its 136th year of power, in 2010, we believe the taxpayers are ready for change, and frankly, it appears that is making some Democrats a bit nervous,” Hubbard added.

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Paid for by the Alabama Republican Party * P.O. Box 55628 * Birmingham, AL * 35255