Governor

Governor Kay Ivey gave remarks and participated in a ribbon cutting as she joined Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship to dedicate a pier at Roland Cooper State Park in memory of Black Belt outdoor’s legend Big Daddy Lawler on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, in Camden, Ala. Governor’s Office /Hal Yeager Gov. Kay Ivey convened a special meeting of the Alabama Board of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday to attempt to have the board immediately remove Commissioner Kent Davis. That motion failed, with three board members voting against removing Davis, two for, and two abstaining. Citing the vote as a “total failure of leadership,” Ivey called on her “supreme executive power” as governor to remove Davis anyway despite the outcome. “For weeks, I have publicly laid out the case for new leadership at the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, and it is unfortunate it came to forcefully removing this agency head,” Ivey stated. “After what I now deem a total failure of leadership at the Department and lack of cooperation, I used the mantle of the Governor’s Office to make the change. While more work remains, I am confident we can make Alabama an even better place for veterans to call home.” Sign up for our daily newsletter The Day's Scoop: Your daily briefing on Alabama politics. By clicking subscribe, you agree to our privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. John Saxon, Davis’s attorney, said they are considering legal options. “When the governor gets mad, she gets even, and that’s what happened today,” Saxon told Alabama Daily News. “We will examine whether the governor has the legal authority to fire the commissioner; that’s our first step. Then, we will consider filing a lawsuit under the anti-retaliation law, which Kent likely has a strong case under.” At the Oct. 9 meeting, the board unanimously asked Davis to reconsider his resignation agreement with Ivey. Ivey called that vote “orchestrated theatre,” and vice chair Scott Gedling accused Davis of manipulating the vote. The ongoing conflict between Ivey and Davis traces back to Davis filing an ethics complaint against Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kim Boswell, a member of Ivey’s cabinet. Davis stated he was fulfilling his duty to report ethics violations brought to his attention by board members. Three members expressed concerns about the ADMH colluding with officials to block $7 million in ARPA funding for the ADVA. “For months, I felt caught between a rock and a hard place; I had a statutory obligation to report when notified,” Davis explained. “Someone leaked the ethics complaint, which caused hurt feelings, but I was in a tough spot.” Davis denied misrepresenting his resignation agreement and said he responded to Ivey’s latest letter under legal counsel’s advice, who were in contact with Ivey’s lawyers. He also denied manipulating the board’s vote. “The new claim that I manipulated the board is false. During the Oct. 10 meeting, I said nothing during the deliberations,” Davis affirmed. Ivey appointed Jeffrey Newton as interim commissioner. Jacob Holmes is a reporter at Alabama Political Reporter. Reach him at jholmes@alreporter.com. Gov. Ivey signed a bill to make Juneteenth a permanent state holiday, closing offices on June 19 to commemorate emancipation. If signed, the grocery tax reduction will take effect on Sept. 1. The awards honor companies elevating Alabama’s economy globally. The grant to J.F. Ingram State Technical College will help inmates overcome employment barriers.

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