Last Tuesday, insiders at the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) gave us a heads up that something was going to happen after the jaw-dropping photographs of Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite and U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town surfaced showing them having drinks at the Moon Shine Lounge.

As another observer told us vulgarly about the bombshell photographs: “No f***ing caption needed.”

On Thursday, Mark A. Crosswhite was replaced as Chair of the powerful business group after only having served as chair since late 2018.

The group went through turmoil in the summer of 2018 when Crosswhite successfully spearheaded the move to oust Bill Canary as the president of the group on the eve of the North Birmingham Bribery Trial.

Canary was blasted for being closely tied to corrupt officials, allegedly lying on the stand, and bruising the reputation of the BCA. Canary was replaced by respected political insider Katie Boyd Britt, former Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Richard C. Shelby.

Crosswhite, a former partner at Alabama Power’s sister-wife Balch & Bingham, is under fire for having had what appears to be inappropriate meetings with Jay Town.

During the criminal trial, attorneys for the defendants were allegedly not allowed to mention Alabama Power unless they first cleared it with Alabama Power’s criminal attorney.

The secret deal has rattled the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

John Mazyck has been elected as chairman of BCA’s board, succeeding Mark Crosswhite.