Here’s the whole article. For the first several paragraphs, here you go:
(Quin Hillyer, Liberty Headlines) It’s not just Republicans getting caught up in scandals in Alabama’s state government. Now, after the ouster of the Republican governor, Republican chief justice, and Republican Speaker of the House, a Democratic state legislator is finally starting to balance the recent corruption score.
It wasn’t clear last November why state Rep. Oliver Robinson, a former college basketball standout, resigned from the legislature. But last week the al.com newspapers reported that both state and federal prosecutors are investigating him, apparently over financial arrangements among a non-profit he runs and donors who oppose a federal “Superfund” designation in his district – a designation Robinson used his legislative clout to oppose.
It’s a complicated tale, made murkier by the fact that Robinson’s fight against the Superfund designation was supported by the Republican then-governor and the Republican then-attorney general. The bipartisan opposition to the designation may give Robinson a little cover, even if both of his Republican compatriots themselves have had their ethics questioned on other fronts….
[Later in the article]…
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed naming entire neighborhoods around Robinson’s district as sites for massive “Superfund” cleanups. Left-leaning politicians tend to support federal environmental intervention, but Robinson came out four-square against this Superfund designation. His position was popular with Republicans in the state – Strange opposed it as well, as did Bentley. Robinson’s daughter, Amanda, worked as legislative liaison for Bentley, and also took payments from Robinson’s tax-exempt foundation while she tried to talk residents into opposing environmental testing in their neighborhoods.
It is that foundation which now is under investigation, apparently for accepting major donations from law firms and others working to oppose the EPA.
It bears stressing that designation as a Superfund site is not necessarily a desirable status. While it does bring funds for cleanup operations, it also can serve as a tremendous disincentive to businesses considering locating there and hiring local workers, and for obvious reasons acts as a depressant on property values….
