Byrne seeks investigation of Rep. Laura Hall
Posted by BrianFrom AL.com:
Two-year colleges Chancellor Bradley Bryne said the president of Calhoun Community College must investigate a report that state Rep. Laura Hall was present and casting votes in the Legislature on days she says she worked at the college and on days she claimed sick pay.
The official record of the Alabama House’s activities, the House Journal, states that Hall was present in Montgomery and casting votes in the Legislature on at least eight days she claimed sick pay or time worked at Calhoun, The Birmingham News reported Sunday.
Nope, no problem at all with double dipping in our state!
Hall offered up a rather humorous explanation for the discrepancy:
Hall, D-Huntsville, said the House records are not an accurate report of a legislator’s attendance because lawmakers often cast votes for others when they are absent. Hall said she likely was not present in the House on the days she claimed work at Calhoun or sick pay.
So Hall’s defense of not working one job she was paid for to attend to the other job is that she was actually working the first job, but skipping out on the other job that she is also paid to do. Classic.
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August 27th, 2007 at 6:28 am
Is she actually pulling a salary for the legislature job? I was told that most (obviously not all)) of the “double-dippers” forgo their legislative salary. I’m not defending her actions, but I don’t remember ever reading that she was actually collecting two salaries—just not doing what she was being paid to do at Calhoun (let alone the conflict of interest problem).
August 27th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Good point Del. That is what I like about the internet - if you say something that is (or may be) factually incorrect it doesn’t take long for someone to say so. I’ll try to look into that this week if I can find the time. I think they have to file a paper with the state to refund their “salary” back into the general fund.
August 27th, 2007 at 9:09 am
On the other hand, I noticed that in his op-ed arguing against the “double-dipping” restriction, Hubbert said something like “lots of Alabamians have to work two jobs to make ends meet.” Seems stupid to say that if he could have instead pointed out how these folks nobly refuse payment for their service—but perhaps he was trying to put forward the idea that legislators are just hard-working stiffs like you & me, while also covering his bases for any exceptions (like Guin) who don’t give their salary back.
August 27th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
I’d be surprised if Hall gave up a dime of her salary.
April 6th, 2008 at 10:54 am
[...] and “fine legislators” such as E.B McClain, Sue Schmitz, Yvonne Kennedy, Ken Guin, and Laura Hall. By the way, what do all the previously mentioned legislators have in common? They’re all [...]