Four double dippers get subpoenas
Posted by BrianFrom AL.com:
Four present and former legislators who work for the state two-year college system, including one from Madison County, have been subpoenaed in the federal government’s probe of corruption in the system.
Don Edwards, vice chancellor for operations and planning, said the Department of Postsecondary Education received subpoenas Wednesday and Thursday for Rep. Blaine Galliher, R-Gadsden, Rep. Jack Page, Gadsden, Rep. Randy Hinshaw of Madison, and former Rep. Neal Morrison of Cullman to talk to federal investigators.
I don’t know anything about Galliher, Page, or Morrison. Hinshaw (D-Meridianville) is (was?) a rather unapologetic double dipper who passionately believes that he earned his money in that job function. I will say that unlike most of his double dipping colleagues he has been up front about his job in the two-year system and is the only Alabama legislator that I am aware of that actually posts his state ethics form, which lists his two-year job, on his legislative website. Speaking of the state ethics forms, it is just pathetic that the state does not post ethics forms for all officials on the state website.
To be clear, the article does allege any criminal conduct nor does it hint at forthcoming indictments. Given Hinshaw’s candor I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.
While on the topic of double dipping, here is a great letter to the editor about Rep. Todd Greeson (R-Ider) - a triple dipper. Greeson has no fewer than FIVE total jobs: state legislator, insurance salesman, farmer, and jobs at both Athens State University and Northeast Alabama Community College. He must be busy!
Update: The four current and former legislators listed above were not the only ones to receive subpoenas. Also from AL.com:
Eight state lawmakers, an acting two-year college president who is a former lawmaker and two state school board members have all been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury investigating corruption in the state’s community college system.
In the Senate, President Pro Tem Hinton Mitchem, D-Union Grove, Rules Chairman Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, and Sen. Bobby Denton, D-Muscle Shoals, received subpoenas to appear before the grand jury in Birmingham.
From the House of Representatives, Reps. Merika Coleman, D-Midfield; Blaine Galliher, R-Gadsden; Randy Hinshaw, D-Meridianville; and Jack Page, D-Gadsden, were subpoenaed. Neil Morrison, now acting president of Bevill State Community College and a former legislator from Cullman, also has been subpoenaed.
From the Alabama Board of Education, Vice President David Byers and member Ethel Hall are being called to the grand jury.
And the list could be longer…
Related content:Several other legislators declined to comment when asked about subpoenas.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Brian,
I know you and most of your readers know this, but I just want to remind everyone that receiving a subpoena to testify before a grand jury or any other hearing doesn’t mean an individual is guilty of anything or even a suspect, for that matter. It just means those conducting an investigation have some questions they would like to ask, under oath. I’ve answered many subpoenas over the years, it’s always been a simple thing for me.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Agreed, Mike. I tried to make that clear, but it doesn’t hurt to reiterate.
Who knows, maybe we’ll get to see legislators start pushing each other under the bus, though.
March 14th, 2008 at 5:19 am
[...] No big surprise. [...]