During a heated discussion at the Mobile City Council, Council President C.J. Small and two other council members threatened to halt the entire agenda until an independent investigation into allegations against the administration was approved. The council’s concerns stemmed from allegations made by Paul Prine, which the administration has already investigated twice, once by Burr-Foreman Law Firm and once by the City of Mobile’s Office of Professional Responsibility. These investigations were submitted to the Alabama Attorney General’s Office for review, emphasizing their importance and authority in this matter.
However, some council members raised concerns about the reports and supporting materials that had been submitted to the Attorney General’s office. Councilman William Carroll argued that these investigations were “in-house” and that the council had no insight into what was or wasn’t investigated. He and two other council members pushed for an independent investigation outside of the administration’s control, stating that it was necessary to ensure a fair review of Prine’s allegations.
Councilman Ben Reynolds expressed his support for an investigation but only if important details such as its scope were discussed first. He argued that without proper information on what would be investigated, he couldn’t support any vote on it. Despite these concerns, Mayor Sandy Stimpson remained firm in her stance against hiring another firm for investigation, arguing that it would only lengthen the process and could lead to conflicting opinions between different agencies involved in conducting separate investigations.
The debate continued throughout the meeting with Carroll threatening to withhold his support for other items on the agenda unless an independent investigation was approved immediately. It remains uncertain whether or not Stimpson will agree to his demands or whether an independent investigation will be conducted before this week is over.
