Local NAACP Leader Says He’s Not Resigning Following Concerns Over Bribery Trial

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2018/08/Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1694;s:6:"height";i:955;s:4:"file";s:48:"2018/08/Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-771x435.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:435;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-768x433.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:433;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-1536x866.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:866;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:46:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-552x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:552;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-e1533162485722-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Sherrel Wheeler Stewart
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:10:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1059;s:4:"file";s:25:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-336x185.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:185;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-771x425.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:425;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:31:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-300x300.jpg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-564x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:564;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-470x259.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:259;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Hezekiah_Jackson_copy-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:28:"The file could not be saved.";}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => error
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

)
1637522127 
1533144999

The local NAACP president says he’s not stepping down amid calls for his resignation. Testimony and emails presented in a recent federal bribery trial showed Hezekiah Jackson through his contacts worked to convince north Birmingham residents not to have their soil tested for contamination.

Jackson has been president of the Metro NAACP over 10 years, and he says that’s not going to change.

“No, I have no intention to resign at any time,” he says.

Jackson’s name and several emails came up during a federal trial that saw a coal company executive and a powerful lawyer convicted of bribery and fraud.

Activists say Jackson helped convince residents not to get their soil tested for a proposed expansion of an Environmental Protection Agency clean up. Former state lawmaker Oliver Robinson’s foundation helped run the campaign, and he pleaded guilty to bribery, conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion.

Jackson exchanged emails with Robinson’s daughter Amanda about meeting with church and community leaders, according to court testimony.

Jackson denies any wrongdoing and says he wasn’t aware of Robinson’s conspiracy to influence the community or the connection to a local lawyer.

“The only thing I knew about was this was supposed to be some kind of introductory program with Amanda to help her way through the community,” Jackson says. “ That’s what I thought it was.”

Le’Darius Hilliard, leader of a loosely formed group called the Justice League, says Jackson is doing a disservice.

“If he played a role, as the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, going out to North Birmingham, Inglenook or to any of those SuperFund sites and told anyone not to get their soil tested, he needs to resign because that is a moral and a ethical issue,” Hilliard says.

Hilliard says activists will take their call for Jackson’s resignation to the NAACP’s national office.

 

Russia launched an experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, the U.S. says

Ukraine raised alarm suggesting Russia may have used an intercontinental ballistic missile to hit the city of Dnipro, but the U.S. National Security Council does not believe it was an ICBM.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdraws as Trump’s attorney general nominee

Allegations of sex trafficking and drug use had stirred controversy over Matt Gaetz's nomination as attorney general.

This year’s FAFSA is officially open. Early review says it’s ‘a piece of cake’

The FAFSA form is now open to students hoping to get help paying for college in the 2025-26 academic year. Students can expect a much smoother process compared to the last cycle.

He was stuck in a hospital for 8 months. How states can fail people with disabilities

In Georgia and other states, the federal government oversees the treatment of people with mental illness and developmental disabilities, because the states have been unable to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the subsequent Olmstead ruling.

Foreign nationals propel U.S. science. Visa limits under Trump could change that

The incoming Trump administration is likely to crack down on the H-1B visas used by tech companies and research institutions to hire top talent from other countries.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

More Environment Coverage