By Joseph M. Morgan

joseph@southerntorch.com

MONTGOMERY, Ala.— Alabama Sen. Phil Williams released a scathing statement this week to an article written by political blogger Bill Britt that recently appeared in the Alabama Political Reporter.

“Over the past few weeks, a blogger named Bill Britt has written a number of posts attacking not only my character, but also the name of my late father, a highly-decorated Army veteran and revered public servant,” Williams said. “Further, Britt has attacked my law firm and its clients and insinuated I have used my position as a senator for private gain.”

Williams, who represents portions of DeKalb, Etowah, Cherokee and St. Clair Counties, said he ignored Britt’s initial blog posts, but felt he had no recourse but to publicly respond when Britt went as far as to allege that Williams “was under investigation by law enforcement for possible ethics violations and other related activities.” Britt’s article implied that Williams has shown impropriety in regards to some of the individuals and organizations his law firm has chosen to take on as clients.

Williams said there absolutely no evidence of an investigation and that he had nothing to hide. Williams backed his words up with a show of complete transparency when he voluntarily turned over his law firm’s client list in its entirety to the Alabama Ethics Commission requesting the investigative body conduct a full review of the list to prove that no conflict of interest existed.

“I took the unusual step of contacting the Alabama Ethics Commission on Friday and personally requested they conduct a full review of my law practice,” Williams said. “At my own insistence they have now received all five years of my client lists and will review them under seal.”

Williams said he is confident a review of the files will show he has zero clients with state interests and that his annual statements of economic interest to the Ethics Commission have fully complied with the law.

“It is a blessing to serve the people of my district in the Alabama Senate. But no one, public or private, should have to endure lies and deceit simply without basis,” Williams said. “I am taking these actions not just for myself, but also for every member of the public domain who has been assaulted by bloggers and rumor-peddlers who believe they can hide behind the false pretense that they are ‘reporting the news.’”

Williams said the Ethics Commission is in receipt of his client list and will review it at his request to ascertain that there are no conflicts of interest.