We need to defend Civil Rights. Burt Newsome, a small-town attorney and father of four, was targeted, falsely arrested, and defamed. Shortly after his false arrest, a partner at Balch & Bingham, a prestigious law firm in Birmingham with deep ties to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Trump Administration,  emailed (on a Saturday afternoon) Newsome's mug shot and cooked-up arrest charges to one or more of Newsome's clients. (See more details at BanBalch.com)

Then, in an explosive investigative article posted on May 11, 2017, AL.com (Alabama Media Group) reported how Balch & Bingham dumped $134,000 into a foundation run by an alleged corrupt politician, Oliver Robinson, currently under federal investigation, who in turn allegedly SUPPRESSED African-Americans in North Birmingham from testing their toxic and contaminated property under EPA rules in 2015 and 2016. The following day, May 12, 2017, Robinson confirmed that Balch had allegedly hired him to work the neighborhoods.

In the Newsome matter, Balch's partner defended his actions against Newsome by citing a 1961 Alabama Supreme Court decision saying businesses could engage in "ruining a rival."  That may have been the prevailing opinion in Alabama in 1961 (as was support for racial segregation) but it has no place in 2017. The bogus criminal case against Newsome collapsed and was tossed out, but the damage against his reputation was done.

We want Balch to conduct a “top-to-bottom” review of their firm and hold any spoiled apples inside the firm accountable. Our hope is that Balch will start by focusing on their commitment to “mutual cooperation and openness and professionalism," and that they will resolve all matters including those involving North Birmingham and Burt Newsome.

Defend Civil Rights today!  Please sign the petition. Thank you for your consideration.