A legislative committee approved the governor’s request for attorneys to help keep communications confidential in the Baldwin County Bridge Court.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) – The governor’s office cleared a hurdle Thursday in a lawsuit between a Baldwin County bridge company and the director of the Alabama Department of Transportation by keeping certain communications confidential.
The Legislative Contracts Review Committee has approved a $50,000 request by the governor’s office to retain Maynard, Cooper & Gale to help defend “insider” information in the Baldwin County Bridge Company LLC case against ALDOT Director John Cooper.
“In the process of making this decision and resolving this matter, this company attempted to request confidential documents not only from the director of ALDOT, but also from the governor’s office,” Will Parker of the governor’s office said at the time. Committee.
Last October, the Baldwin County Bridge Company sued Cooper over ALDOT’s plan to build a Gulf Coast bridge about a mile from the Orange Beach toll bridge, saying in the lawsuit that the new bridge could force them to close their doors.
The governor said ALDOT’s goal is to ease traffic flow.
“The transportation director was trying to help find solutions to alleviate traffic congestion — he wanted to build a bridge,” Parker said.
The committee, which requires a quorum of lawmakers and took place on two Thursdays, gave the green light to the contract.
Mobile spokesman Chris Pringle, when asked if the decision raised transparency issues, said it was similar to how other privacy issues are handled.
“There is privacy in the Legislature,” Pringle said. “We have lawyers who will represent us in the event that we are asked for confidential correspondence. There is in every department. It is no different from any other ministry or legislature.
In February, there was a court hearing to stop the construction of the new bridge. This hearing was continued until April 19.
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