Alabama Political Reporter broke the news today:

This morning, a letter was delivered to the Business Council of Alabama stating that Alabama Power is withdrawing its membership from the business organization, “effective immediately.”

Alabama Political Reporter obtained a copy of the letter in which Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite makes clear to BCA Chairman Perry Hand and Executive Committee members why the company is pulling its support. “[W]e have become concerned that membership in BCA has become a liability rather than a benefit,” states Crosswhite in the first paragraph. He further writes, “To be candid, BCA has needlessly alienated federal and state officials, failed to communicate with its own members, squandered our collective corporate goodwill, allowed its financial health to decline, and become a divisive force in our State.”

Alabama Power has been a member of BCA since its inception, and its departure will rock the business community, especially those who understand the far-reaching influence of the company.

We applaud Crosswhite for taking on the “liability” head-on. Now, we ask, will Crosswhite take his former employer Balch & Bingham head-on?

To be candid, Balch, too, appears to have become more of “a liability rather than a benefit.”

Alienation, failure, squandering goodwill, financial decline, and being a divisive force sounds a lot like Balch & Bingham’s ailments caused by alleged unscrupulous and criminal conduct.

Will Crosswhite finally cut the ropes?