Alabama lawmaker agrees to plead guilty to federal charges and resign
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama lawmaker has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges and resign from the state House of Representatives, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Rep. Fred Plump Jr., a Democrat from Fairfield, will plead guilty to the charges accusing him of misusing state funds and resign his position, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and federal investigators announced in a news release.
Prosecutors said before he was elected, Plump’s youth sports nonprofit received $400,000 in state grants from a legislator over five years and Plump in turn paid $200,000 of those funds as kickbacks to the legislator’s assistant, who was also Plump’s mistress, according to the information filed in federal court documents laying out the accusations.
Plump would submit false reports about the nonprofit’s use of the money, in some cases writing on checks that the money was for the youth dance team or cheerleading expenses, but the assistant would deposit the funds in her personal bank account, according to the court document. The assistant was not named.
The money was given between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022. Plump was elected to the state House in 2022.
Prosecutors said Plump later tried to obstruct the investigation in March by texting the assistant “red alert” and meeting to warn her about the investigation.
According to the plea agreement, also filed Tuesday, Plump agreed to plead guilty to the charges, pay restitution of at least $200,000 and resign from office immediately upon entering his guilty plea. A judge will set a date for Plump to enter his plea.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Plump’s attorney did not immediately return an email Tuesday seeking comment.
The money came from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund, which receives a portion of county sales and use taxes for Jefferson County lawmakers to distribute to projects and entities in their districts. During each fiscal year from 2018 to 2022, each state representative was allocated approximately $100,000 and each state senator was allocated approximately $240,000 to distribute.
Alabama’s prison population sees troubling growth in latest DOJ report
For the first time in nearly a decade, U.S. prison populations are trending up. Alabama's numbers are a part of troubling gains across the Gulf South.
A narrowing Republican presidential field will debate in Tuscaloosa Wednesday
Four candidates will be on stage at the University of Alabama for their last scheduled meeting before the Iowa caucuses kick off the presidential nominating season next month. Former President Donald Trump, the race’s clear front-runner, will not be among them.
Place, Erased: A virtual listening session with the Gulf States Newsroom; RSVP now
Join us as we listen to the recent series about towns transformed by major environmental shifts and talk with the reporters about what they learned.
Tuberville is ending blockade of most military nominees
Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions was over a dispute about a Pentagon abortion policy. The Alabama Republican said Tuesday he’s “not going to hold the promotions of these people any longer.”
Man featured in ‘S-Town’ podcast shot and killed by police during standoff, authorities say
Joseph Tyler Goodson was shot by officers after he barricaded himself inside a home and “brandished a gun" at officers early Sunday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner said that Goodson was pronounced “brain dead” Tuesday night at a hospital.
The next Republican debate is in Alabama, the state that gave the GOP a road map to Donald Trump
The state that propelled George Wallace, a Democrat and four-term governor, into national politics is now dominated by Republicans loyal to Donald Trump, another figure who leans heavily on grievance and white identity politics.
