February 9, 2011

FROM: Paul Ripp

TO: Mr. Hugh Evans, III:

So let’s get this straight: you are now closing the Senator Pittman complaint,
which also involves Baldwin County Commissioner Bob James and Mayor Timothy Kant
of Fairhope. As a result of their impropriety, six county employees, including
the Chief Legal Counsel and County Administrator, were either fired or demoted.

County Commissioner Charles “Skip” Gruber will testify to the details of Pittman’s
transgressions. One of Mr. Pittman’s many dubious actions was when he returned
to the County Commission offices to scour the place and remove any incriminating
documents that he submitted under Pittman Tractor Company to Emergency
Management.

What a convenient way for the Alabama “Ethics” Commission to skirt its
responsibility. How ethical is that? Public confidence in the Ethics
Commission-- the agency you represent purportedly on behalf of the voting and
taxpaying public-- is non-existent, just like your better judgment. You should
have thought before you sent the letter you did. Your anger level and immaturity
showed through completely.

As far as an Ex-Post-Facto law, that is what the December 20th call was trying to
clarify. Maybe you were distracted, or did not understand me, the taxpayer-- you
know-- the very person(s) you work for!

The complaint I filed in September, 2010 is now in its seventh month of

collecting dust on your cluttered desk. Your working body has taken no apparent
action on a complaint you admit contains an abundance of documents.

A normal, reasonable person would have to suffer ear, nose, throat and sight
disabilities with his or her head buried in the sand not to see the many red
flags surrounding the actions of Senator Lee “Trip” Pittman.

Your veritable white washing of Mr. Don White’s complaint clearly indicates that
you either did not read it or could not understand its simple contents. What is
clear within is that the Senator withheld information on a product that had the
potential to save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, in Fairhope alone.
Mr. Pittman was supposed to assist the city toward this end. He did just the
opposite; he used his position to secure the contract and make money.

Mr. White, as a potential vendor, was shut out of the bid process after being
assured by City of Fairhope officials that he was indeed on the bid list. Mr.
Pittman got the so-called “low” bid in the flawed bid process used. Maybe you
missed that while you were laughing at what I wrote you?

The real, obvious problem here, however, is the fact that the Alabama Ethics
Commission lacks the balls to conduct an in-depth investigation using the
admitted available subpoena power, as well as a thorough forensic audit of
Pittman Tractor BP Boom Contract expenditures.

You and I both know that Senator Pittman and Mayor Kant are just the tips of the
proverbial iceberg---that many others are involved with assisting the senator in
the communities of Fairhope and Perdido Beach.

Mr. Pittman claimed that he had the “permission of the Ethics Commission” to
proceed with the BP Boom contracts. Further, he claimed he had only recently had
ethics training.

The Alabama Ethics Commission is simply “passing the buck,” closing the files,
leaving the grunt work to someone else’s authority. Someone else WILL do your
work, Mr. Evans. This, I can assure you.

Your weak dismissal of the 130-page complaint filed by many taxpayers only
further reinforces the notion that the Alabama Ethics Commission is nothing more
than a political pawn.

Let us say the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and/or a federal agency
investigate and discover ethical and criminal violations. What will your
position then be, Mr. Evans, III?

Also, congratulations of “doing well” in law school and “practicing” law for
twenty years! I am sure in your first semester you also learned what the Latin
term “prima facie” means. There is a difference in practicing law and applying
the law equally for everyone.

You claimed in your letter that the Commission does not try matters in the press.
However, you do disclose findings of complaints to newspapers prior to notifying
the persons filing the complaint.

Mr. Evans, I am going to dictate this part of my letter S-L-O-W-L-Y, so that

someone of your aptitude may understand: WE, the TAXPAYER will use the court of
public opinion to get the truth out because we have little or no faith in your
body: the Alabama Ethics Commission.

Currently the State of Alabama is the most corrupt state in the union. A
governor, a senator, county commissioners, representatives, mayors and lobbyists
fill the federal and state correctional facilities. A new wave of politicians
awaits trial in the Two-Year College System Scandal, Jefferson County Sewer and
the Bingo Schemes. How many of these individuals did the Ethics Commission
investigate prior to their high-profile convictions?

So please, Mr. Evans III, do not try and bullshit us! We know “prima facie”
corruption when we see it, and we will use every legal option to expose those
responsible, without your help.

Since you have closed the files and your ears, we, the taxpayer, can only hope
the Alabama Attorney General and/or federal authorities will move forward.

I regret that your services do not meet the standards we taxpayers seek. The
Alabama Ethics Commission should look in the mirror and ask why the public has
such a disdain for the Alabama Ethics Commission. You, Mr. Evans, III, should
look in the mirror and ask yourself the question: “Can I honestly say that
Senator Pittman’s dealings with the cities of Fairhope and Perdido Beach were
totally ethical?”

Francis Paul Ripp, IX