Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has scheduled a special election to fill a vacant seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, the position previously held by longtime Democrat John Rogers.
Gov. Ivey announced Monday afternoon that the primary election date for the seat representing Birmingham and parts of Jefferson County will be June 18.
The Alabama House of Representatives received Rogers’ resignation letter on Friday. Rogers officially resigned from his elected office after pleading guilty to federal felony charges last week.
“Alabamians in House District 52 deserve fair and full representation in the legislative process, and this special election will ensure that is the case,” Gov. Ivey said in a statement. “To uphold public trust, integrity is imperative, and accountability is non-negotiable.”
John Rogers (Credits: WVTM 13)
Rogers resigned in a letter that his lawyer sent to House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, which Clay Redden, the House’s spokesman, shared with AL.com today.
In the letter, Rogers said his resignation was effective two days earlier, on March 15—the same day he pleaded guilty to a kickback scheme to misuse public money intended for Jefferson County nonprofits. Rogers, 83, represented parts of Birmingham for more than 40 years.
“I, John Westley Rogers, Jr., hereby resign as State Representative for House District 52,” he said in the one-page letter. Rogers did not include any other comments. If needed, the particular primary runoff will be held on July 16, and the special general election will be Oct. 1.
Democratic and Republican candidates have until April 16 at 5 p.m. to seek certification with their respective parties. Other candidates have until June 18 at 5 p.m. to file the necessary paperwork to appear on the ballot.
“I encourage everyone in this district to ensure they have a strong voice of representation in the Alabama Legislature by getting out and casting their vote during this special election,” Gov. Ivey said.
Rogers is the second Democratic lawmaker from Jefferson County to resign in the scandal. Last year, former Rep. Fred Plump stepped down after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of obstruction of justice.
John Rogers (Credits: BirminghamWatch)
Rogers directed about $400,000 from the Jefferson County Community Service fund to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, a nonprofit run by Plump, between 2019 and 2023, per his plea agreement.
According to the agreement, plump kicked about $200,000 of that funding back to Rogers and Rogers’ longtime assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall. Then, Rogers and Kindall carried out another kickback scheme involving money intended for an unnamed nonprofit in 2019.
That group received $10,000 from the fund, and its founder, George Stewart, gave $1,800 back to Rogers and Kindall as an “administration fee,” per Rogers’ plea agreement. Rogers previously identified the founder as George Stewart, who leads the American Gospel Quartet Convention.
Rogers pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
He’s also agreed to pay nearly $200,000 to the Jefferson County Community Service Fund as restitution. A federal grand jury first indicted him in September. Rogers’ and Plump’s sentencing dates are scheduled for July 26 in Birmingham before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler.
