Before Randall Woodfin was elected Mayor of Birmingham, the City of Birmingham paid about $75,000 a year to the Birmingham Times for legal advertising. Now, at the end of 5 years under Woodfin’s watch, the amount spent has been a whopping $1.8 million, skyrocketing from $75,000 to $360,000 a year.

Our investigative post on the expenditures has spurred outrage and grave concern to gadflies and City Hall insiders, and Woodfin finds himself now in the middle of scandal, all tied to Alabama Power’s desire to control the African American media.

Worse, no one can confirm if the Birmingham Times received the $1.8 million.

We, the CDLU, could not reach anyone who can confirm or deny that payments, including a batch payment of $1.14 million in August of 2020, were received.

Who, at the end of the day, received the money? Has the $1.8 million magically disappeared?

More troubling: no contract for “professional services” is available related to the Birmingham Times Media Group on the city’s transparency page.

All other professional fees are tied to a published contract.

The monthly “professional fees” tied to the Birmingham Times Media Group doubled in 2021 to $32,500 a month. Over $228,000 in “professional fees” were paid, but to whom?

A probe to find out whom and to hold those accountable for wasting government funds on so-called “legal advertising” is needed.

Time to bring an end to magic tricks in the Mayor’s Office and close the curtains on corruption.