Former Alabama lawmaker John Rogers resigned from office after misusing public funds, leaving nearly $100,000 unspent in grant funding meant for schools, libraries, and nonprofits in his district. Despite Rogers’ guilty plea to federal corruption charges, the money remains unused, prompting an attorney to urge the Jefferson County Commission to return the funds for the new representative to distribute.
The Jefferson County Community Service Fund, which allocates funds from local spending, had to return the unspent money to the county’s general fund per state law after Rogers’ resignation. Rogers, along with his personal assistant and another lawmaker, were convicted of misusing funds in a kickback scheme, leading to federal prison sentences for all three individuals.
The district, which includes parts of Birmingham and several other cities, was left without representation in the House for nearly seven months until Democrat Kelvin Datcher won the seat. However, the district missed out on receiving community funding during this period while other districts continued to benefit from the funds.
In contrast, District 55, represented by Travis Hendrix after the conviction of Rep. Fred Plump, saw the full $98,510 allocated to 21 recipients across Birmingham and Fairfield. This included schools, colleges, libraries, and nonprofits serving various community needs.
Despite the scandal involving misuse of funds, the Community Service Fund committee ensured that the recipients met the criteria set by state law for funding distribution. The fund also rejected a request for $10,000 for a gospel quartet group, as it was deemed unclear how the citizens of Jefferson County would benefit from the intended use.
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