Local state Rep. Barry Moore provided a statement to The Southeast Sun Tuesday saying a long-running conversation has been taken out of context for "obviously political reasons."
Allegations have surfaced that Moore may have had some involvement in a plot that would eliminate 100 new jobs in Enterprise through a new unmanned, aerial systems program at Enterprise State Community College.
Allegations, which come from a report by the blog Alabama Political Reporter, suggest that funding for the project would be removed from the budget by Moore and Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard, should Republican opponent Josh Pipkin not drop out of the Republican primary in June.
"The simple fact is that the funding for the project is in the budget at my request," Moore said in the statement. "With this appropriation and other efforts, I have continued to work to bring jobs and economic growth to our district."
An investigation by the Attorney General's Office is taking place, however, Moore said he's "not worried about anything."
He did confirm that he has testified before a special grand jury in Lee County.
Moore said "these bloggers are funded by the Alabama Education Association, it's just politics of personal destruction."
The investigation has been ongoing for about a year and a half.
Pipkin did confirm that he was subpoenaed by the grand jury relating to the matter, which he testified to in January.
The same grand jury recently issued an indictment against former Rep. Greg Wren, of Montgomery, for using his office personal for gain.
Wren resigned from office Tuesday and plead guilty to a misdemeanor version of state ethics violations in exchange for cooperating with the attorney general's ongoing investigation.
(2) comments
Is not a surprise that Mr. Moore would say all of this is out of context, heck I would say the same thing. Bottom line is they have the recordings of his conversation with Mr. Pipkins and it is pretty plain. The only thing that is out of context is Mr. Moore is embarrassed he got caught.
so we have a lawyer try to entrap his opponent into saying something that would get him in trouble. remember the lawyer new how he wanted to answer the questions and mr moore did not know he was being taped. I wonder if other politicans in Montgomery would even talk to pipkin for fear of being taped. we don't need more lawyers in Montgomery!!!!!!!!!
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