Alabama Giveaway
Brett J. Blackledge of
The Birmingham News had a great investigative story Sunday about some old-fashioned Alabama wheeling and dealing. In
"Software Firm Given Millions in No-bid Deals," Blackledge revealed that in the past five years the state's college system has poured nearly $7 million into the coffers of The Access Group, transforming the small software firm into a multi-million-dollar business. What's interesting is that the company just happens to employ the daughter of the college system's chancellor, the wife of a powerful legislator, the wife of a two-year college president and the brother of another college president. Blackledge did a great job of clearly following the money trail and showing how the no-bid deals are costing taxpayers.