Press Releases
Alabama Dems and GOP Put Ethics Filing at Top of Qualifying Priority List
March 12, 2009
For Immediate Release: March 12, 2008
Democratic Party Contact: Jim Spearman, (334) 262-2221
Republican Party Contact: Philip Bryan, (205) 212-5900
The Chair's of the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Republican Party met with the Alabama Ethics Commission on Wednesday in a joint effort to ensure that they will do everything they can to educate and inform their candidates about the mandatory filing of the Ethics Commission's Statement of Economic Interests form.
The Statement of Economic Interests form is an in depth questionnaire which asks individuals to list their income amounts and sources, as well as types of stocks, bonds and real estate holdings. In addition, individuals are required to list debts over a certain amount and what if any professional or consulting contracts the person may have.
The meeting among the Party leaders and the Ethics Commission's Director James Sumner focused on the Code of Alabama 1975, ยง 36-25-15 (a) which states that, "Candidates at every level of government shall file a completed statement of economic interests for the previous calendar year with the appropriate election official simultaneously with the date he or she becomes a candidate as defined in Section 17-22A-2 or the date such candidate files his or her qualifying papers with the appropriate election official, whichever date occurs first. Such election official shall within five days forward the statement of economic interests of the candidate to the commission. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to require a second filing of the person's statement of economic interests if a current statement of economic interests is on file with the commission."
Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham said that, "This bipartisan meeting demonstrates that both of our parties are committed to absolute trust and openness in government." That sentiment was shared by Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.
"After meeting with Mr. Sumner and Chairman Turnham, we've all agreed to work harder to make certain that our candidates file this paperwork so that Alabamians will have an even greater confidence in our political system," Hubbard said.
Both parties agreed to submit a full listing of the names of all the candidates running for public office at every level of government so that the commission can make sure that all of those candidates have a current Statement of Economic Interests form on file at the time of qualifying.
"I greatly appreciate these two Chairmen for coming together and putting this issue at the top of their priority list. With people's confidence in government waning, it's great to see that these party leaders greatly value the importance of complying with our states ethics laws," stated Sumner.
The Statement of Economic Interests form can be found on the Commission's website at http://ethics.alabama.gov. In addition, qualifying information from the two parties can be found at their websites at http://www.aladems.org and http://www.algop.org.
XXXX