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Chip Brownlee

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Chip Brownlee

Chip Brownlee is a former political reporter, online content manager and webmaster at the Alabama Political Reporter. He is now a reporter at The Trace, a non-profit newsroom covering guns in America.

News

State Auditor questions Governor’s 2018 Special Election

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—State Auditor Jim Ziegler is questioning Gov. Robert Bentley’s decision to hold a special election in November 2018 for US Sen. Jeff Sessions’ Senate replacement. On Wednesday, Ziegler sent Bentley a letter highlighting his concerns. In his letter, Ziegler asked Bentley to reconsider the 2018 Special Election date, which … Continued
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January 12, 2017

Sen. Phil Williams: Alabama “bathroom bill” has been misinterpreted

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter Sen. Phil Williams, who has prefiled a “bathroom bill” known as the Alabama Privacy Act, believes it has been misinterpreted as requiring bathroom “police” to monitor users’ gender in every restroom in the State. “One of the complete fabrications or misinterpretations about the bill is that it requires an attendant … Continued
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January 11, 2017

Governor renews immunity claims in former ALEA secretary’s lawsuit

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—Gov. Robert Bentley last week reiterated claims that he, as a constitutional officer of the State of Alabama, has immunity from civil action, especially from the lawsuit filed last year by former Alabama Law Enforcement Secretary Spencer Collier. Collier filed a defamation and wrongful termination lawsuit last year after … Continued
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January 10, 2017

Mosses Mayor pleads guilty to ethics charges

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—A former Lowndes County mayor agreed last week to plead guilty to charges that he used his office for personal gain, marking another court victory for the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division. Mosses Mayor Walter S. Hill pled guilty to using his office to direct town money, in the … Continued
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January 10, 2017

Bentley to set Senate Special Election for 2018

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—Gov. Robert Bentley will soon be appointing a replacement for Sen. Jeff Sessions, but his replacement will only be temporary. Mr. Bentley announced on Thursday that he would schedule the Special Election for Mr. Sessions’ former Senate seat to coincide with the 2018 statewide elections. Mr. Bentley told a pool … Continued
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January 6, 2017

Court of the Judiciary finds Montgomery judge guilty of violating judicial ethics

Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—The Alabama Court of the Judiciary on Thursday found Montgomery Municipal Judge Les Hayes guilty on seven charges of violating the Canons of Judicial Ethics in connection to his use of a questionable private-probation company. The Court, the Judicial Inquiry Commission and Mr. Hayes’ attorneys reached a plea agreement on Jan. 5. … Continued
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January 6, 2017

State Auditor calls for reinvigorated impeachment proceedings

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter In light of recent comments by Attorney General Luther Strange casting doubt on the existence of a criminal investigation of Gov. Robert Bentley, State Auditor Jim Ziegler is calling on the House Judiciary Committee to resume its impeachment hearings. “It is obvious that the session will start without a … Continued
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January 5, 2017

Legislators gear up for Session, State still far behind in LGBTQ protections

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—The Alabama Legislature will convene in little more than a month. As lawmakers continue prefiling bills and preparing for the 2017 Legislative Session, a new report from the Human Rights Campaign shows Alabama still lagging behind in LGBTQ protections. The State Equality Index, an annual comprehensive report released by … Continued
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January 5, 2017

Alabama loses a statesman with passing of former Gov. Albert Brewer

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—Former Alabama Gov. Albert Brewer died Monday at 88. Brewer was governor for only a short period of time, but his administration, and his personality, left an impact on the State. Gov. Robert Bentley confirmed Brewer’s death Monday afternoon. “Alabamians have lost a great leader today in the passing … Continued
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January 3, 2017

Governor, Mason, dark-money group file to dismiss former security officer’s lawsuit

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—Lawyers for Gov. Robert Bentley, his former top political aide Rebekah Mason and a pro-Bentley 501(c)(4) dark-money group called the Alabama Council for Excellent Government filed three separate motions on Wednesday to dismiss a lawsuit against them. Wendall Ray Lewis, the former Head of the Governor’s Security Detail and Chief … Continued
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December 29, 2016