Politics

Will Jefferson County sue JPMorgan?

After more revelations of shady bond dealings, commissioners say a lawsuit may be in the future.

After more revelations of shady bond dealings, Jefferson County commissioners are saying a lawsuit against the bank may not be too far in the future.

Politics

Emory Anthony campaign kickoff

Birmingham lawyer Emory Anthony entered the race for mayor. Anthony has sought the office twice before.

By Weekly Staff

Birmingham laywer Emory Anthony entered the race for mayor. Anthony has sought the office twice before and served as a legal and political advisor to Mayor Bernard Kincaid.

Politics

In God's Hands

By Tom Briscoe

See the Weekly’s editorial cartoon on the aftermath of the Larry Langford trial.

Politics

Cooper running for mayor

Patrick Cooper says he's going to fight crime, fix Birmingham's schools and create more jobs.

By Madison Underwood

Attorney Patrick Cooper announced his candidacy for mayor of Birmingham Thursday at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Cooper, who came in second place to former mayor Larry Langford in the 2007 m

Politics

Smitherman terminates Langford chief of staff

Citing need for public trust, Smitherman says Vance-Bowie created uncertainty at City Hall.

By Kyle Whitmire

Citing public trust and budget issues, Interim Birmingham Mayor Carole Smitherman said Thursday morning that she had fired former Mayor Larry Langford's chief of staff, Deborah Vance-Bowie. The ter

Politics

The aftermath of Larry Langford

Last week's verdict established Larry Langford’s guilt, but it will be a long time before we’re done settling all his unanswered questions.

By Kyle Whitmire

When Larry Langford announced his bid for mayor in 2007, an anonymous political operative composed a YouTube video called “Unanswered Questions.” A simple production, it flashed headlines about Langfo

Politics

JPMorgan settles with SEC over Jefferson County bonds business

Bankers improperly influenced Larry Langford, Shelia Smoot, Jeff Germany and Mary Buckelew, lawsuit says.

By Kyle Whitmire

The Securities and Exchange Commission has sued J.P.Morgan Securities and two of its former bankers for using "unlawful incentives" to win business from Jefferson County commissioners. The commissione

Politics

The Ballad of Federal Gaol

A poem about an ex-mayor & a prisoner-to-be.

By Courtney Haden

Guilty, came the verdict and Guilty filled the hall, and Guilty kept on coming fully sixty counts in all. Guilty was the judgment from each jury vote, his peer — The Gambler did not

Politics

Birmingham might need budget rewrite

City's 2010 budget left $21 million of line items off the balance sheets.

By Kyle Whitmire

Interim Birmingham Mayor Carole Smitherman and several city councilors said Tuesday that the city might need to rewrite its fiscal year 2010 budget to repair damage left by Larry Langford's administra

Politics

Smitherman says Birmingham underfunded by $20 million

Steve Sayler knew of the budget shortfall, Smitherman says. So did Birmingham Weekly.

By Madison Underwood

In her first mayoral report on Tuesday, Acting Mayor Carole Smitherman told the Birmingham City Council that the current city budget, prepared and passed under former mayor Larry Langford, underfunds