Commentary: Cha Ching!

Attorney General Steve Marshall (R)-Alabama

    
  I missed this when it happened, but Republican Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall scored $25k in June...from the majority black City of Birmingham where a confederate monument was torn down, an apparent violation of the law approved by the Republican Majority Legislature to protect confederate names and monuments. The fine was $25,000. 

(Photo via CBS 42, Birmingham)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshall's office provided me with this list of all entities that have paid similar fines for violating the KICMP* law, as of July 15th:

• City of Birmingham: $25,000 x 2 (for separation violations in 2017 and 2020)

• City of Mobile: $25,000

• City Anniston: $25,000 

• Lowndes County: $25,000**

Note that all four are black majority locations.

So $125,000 paid to Marshall's office for violating the KICMP law, less, so far, than Marshall's annual salary of $168, 002. 

There was an attempt by Republican legislators during this year's regular session to increase the fines, but it failed.

And no fines, so far, for entities that have changed building or street names, like The University of Alabama, Troy State University and Alabama State University. 

And Montgomery is about to change the names of three high schools, and also wants to change the name of "Jeff Davis Avenue" (left). 

     That street is now in a majority black neighborhood.

     I suggest the white GOP legislators who live in Montgomery County launch an effort to change the street they live on to Jeff Davis whatever. Like Reed Ingram, who lives in Pike Road. Or Charlotte Meadows, who lives in the city of Montgomery.

*I call it the Kay Ivey Confederate Monument Protection law, since the Republican Governor signed it and bragged about it in a campaign ad.

 ** The average annual income of residents of Lowndes County is $17,895.