JACK ASS
Well folks, as they often say, “You can’t make this stuff up!”
Monday night’s city council meeting showed the true colors of council president “come fly with me” “Jack” Burrell. It was a tough night for Burrell and his faithful Bible study partner, and best friend forever, Senator Tripp Pittman.
Recently for the first time in many years Fairhope had a legitimate bid process for the emergency hurricane debris removal contract, which could bring millions of dollars to the recipient. For over ten years straight, the City of Fairhope― through its city council, has awarded the contract to Pittman Tractor, the private business of Senator Lee “Trip” Pittman, an elected official of this city, county and state.
City council agenda item: 6. Resolution - To Award Bid for Disaster Debris Removal and Disposal 2017 Contract (Bid No. 009-17).
How can an elected, public official bid on a municipal public contract within his own district? That is an easy answer! You have a corrupted mayor and council and a corrupted bid process. The question is: How do you break that cycle of corruption? You elect a new mayor.
In addition to the hefty hurricane debris removal contract, Senator Pittman used his position as “trustee” of the BP funds to siphon off $750,000 and then left the anchors in Mobile Bay, imperiling his neighbors in the process. He did not stop with Fairhope. Sen. Pittman leveraged his political office to obtain Baldwin County Government heavy equipment contracts as well as other municipal contracts, even though he told the newspapers and his constituents “He only got ten percent from the illegal BP contract” and that he would “never do it again.”
Please go to minutes 31 to 37 of the council meeting and listen to the mayor. Then listen to Jack. All “come fly with me” had to do was keep his mouth shut. Hell no! Jack Ass was full of piss and vinegar that his Bible thumping partner was not going to get the contract. Jack went on about how it was legal and the ethics commission said it was OK.
Notice Jack Ass is very good with semantics and blustering. However, he is grasping at straws. First off, it has never been ruled legal; and secondly, an ethics opinion about this contract was never issued. A new contract would require a new ethics opinion, which was not requested.
Why is Alabama number 50 in the US?
When you have a city council president argue before the citizens of the community that it is ok for an elected official to be awarded municipal contracts, then you must realize that’s why we are dead last. Politicians like Jack Burrell and Trip Pittman are the very reasons why Alabama cannot have nice things. To abandon all ethical standards just to give a friend and fellow elected official a contract is the epitome of corruption and public betrayal.
Mayor Wilson had the contracts re-bid with fresh eyes giving others, not elected officials, new opportunity and a fair chance to bid.
Sen. Pittman has been a poor excuse for an elected official; however, he is nevertheless a shining example of corruption greed and hypocrisy. Pittman is now making a run for the United States Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions. One of his opponents is none other than Luther Strange, the presiding Alabama Attorney general who failed to indict Pittman on the BP scandal or Governor Bentley, another criminal touting his devout Christianity.
According to Pittman, God told Pittman to run for the senate. I wonder if it was the same God who told him how to take advantage of his elected office?
The good news is it that Fairhope is already a different and better place because the old way of doing business is no more. Also, rest assured that very soon Pittman will be using one of his publicly-rented tractors to dig a hole and bury himself neck-up, next to Jack, at the airport.