LLC. Archives • Alabama Political Reporter

Alabama’s secretive prison project same as 2018 Kansas deal

The secrecy behind Alabama’s plan to build three new prisons using private prison companies mirrors a project in Kansas that left some lawmakers there feeling that the state got “hoodwinked.” The Kansas governor has since said her state was “hoodwinked” by one of the same private prison companies now vying for a piece of Alabama … Continued

September 12, 2019

Key man behind bid for Alabama prisons tied to controversial private prison operations, lawsuits

One of the companies vying for millions in taxpayer dollars to build Alabama’s new prisons is owned by the ousted former CEO of one of the other four companies in the running. That man, Tennessee businessman Doctor Robert Crants Jr., was also involved in a recent lawsuit connected to a privately owned and operated prison … Continued

September 4, 2019

APR confirms at least two partners behind mystery company bidding prison contract

Five companies have expressed an interest in building new prisons in Alabama, some appear to have never built a prison, while another may have as of yet unnamed partners. The five companies are: The GEO Group, Inc., Corvias, LLC, Corrections Consultants, LLC, CoreCivic, Inc. and Alabama Prison Transformation Partners. Alabama Prison Transformation Partners is a … Continued

August 26, 2019

Russian expat hires Poarch Creek’s lobbyist to hawk legislation to monitor contractor’s work

A former Russian banker’s company is now offering software to the state that would take screen captures of contractor PCs at least once every three minutes and also track keystrokes and mouse activity. Poarch Creek’s lobbyist, Barton & Kinney, LLC, is pushing legislation similar to that being hawked in New Jersey and 20-plus other states … Continued

May 6, 2019

Department of Corrections hints at billion dollar prison plan

At the most recent Legislative Contract Review hearing, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn revealed that the state is planning to build three mega-style prisons at a cost of approximately $1 billion. Less than two years ago, the Legislature rejected a plan by then-Gov. Robert Bentley to spend approximately $850 million on four new … Continued

December 17, 2018

Hiring Jason Taylor for MPS was Mike Sentance’s worst decision

Of all the blunders former state school superintendent Mike Sentance made (and there were many), none looms any larger than his decision to hire Jason Taylor to “straighten out” finances for the Montgomery school system. Taylor was the Chief Financial Officer for the Huntsville city school system early in 2017 when Sentance gave him a … Continued

October 8, 2018

Veteran UA system trustee named interim chancellor

Finis E. St. John, IV, a veteran member of the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama System, will become Interim Chancellor of the three-campus UA System effective August 1. He will succeed C. Ray Hayes, who announced his plans in June to transition his responsibilities to a Systemwide behavioral health initiative and other administrative … Continued

July 16, 2018

Alabama Association for Justice elects new executive officers

An Alabama association for plaintiffs’ attorneys who represent consumers and businesses, the Alabama Association for Justice, has elected a new group of officers. The new officers were elected at the group’s annual convention, which was held June 14 – 16 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The group has been around for more than … Continued

June 19, 2018

A showdown is nearing for BCA’s Billy Canary

The Business Council of Alabama’s executive committee recently approved a succession plan to protect its embattled CEO Billy Canary, but when the plan was presented to a group comprised of the organization’s top members, Canary had deceptively altered the policy adopted by the committee for one more favorable to himself. Alabama Political Reporter is also … Continued

June 17, 2018