Alabama: suit filed to ensure election for Jefferson County Commission seat
The Birmingham News reports: A Fairfield man sued Gov. Bob Riley on Friday, claiming the governor does not have the authority to appoint a replacement to the Jefferson County Commission for Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford.
The suit, filed in Montgomery's federal court on behalf of Fred Plump, said Riley is attempting to enforce election procedures that have not been approved by the Justice Department under the federal Voting Rights Act. The suit seeks to block Riley from filling the District 1 commission seat, a heavily Democratic district that stretches from Fairfield north to Fultondale and east to Roebuck.
The seat became vacant Tuesday when Langford, the District 1 commissioner, took office at City Hall.
Todd Stacy, a spokesman for the governor's office, said Friday night the office had not seen the lawsuit, but the law clearly says that the governor must appoint a replacement. -- Fairfield man files lawsuit over Gov. Bob Riley's authority to fill Jefferson County Commission seat- al.com
Disclosure: Jim Blacksher and I represent the plaintiff in this suit.
A copy of the complaint is here: Download file