2010campaign rejectsmedia.al.com/birminghamentries/other/judicial ethics page.pdf · toons. the...

By CAROL ROBINSONNews staff writer

Ashley Stringer is at a loss.For nearly the past seven

months, she has awakenedto the smiling face of herbaby boy, and started theirday together with breakfastand Mickey Mouse car-toons.

The morning routine —simple but so precious tothe 22-year-old first-timemom — came to an abruptend when, on Friday, littleAshton Stringer Jones be-came Birmingham’s fourthhomicide victim of 2011.

Authorities say the boyd i e d f r o m b l u n t f o r c etrauma to the head while inthe care of a babysitter. Po-lice said Monday an investi-gation is under way, butthere have been no chargesor arrests.

While police try to put to-gether a case, Stringer is try-ing to figure out how to holdtogether her life withoutAshton.

“When I wake up in themorning, I am so confusedabout how to start my day,”Stringer said Monday. “Idon’t know what I am sup-posed to do. I am praying. Ia m a s k i n g G o d f o rstrength.”

The ordeal began on Jan.26 when Stringer left Ashtonwith her best friend sincethe eighth grade while sheattended class at Miles Col-lege.

Stringer is studying el-ementary education, hopingto follow in the footsteps ofher parents, who both have

See BABY Page 8A

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Child fatally injuredin care of friend

DISPUTE ON GIFTS INJUDGES’ CAMPAIGNSMOVES TO ALABAMA

Alabama among 26states to challengeBy MELISSA NELSONand RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVARThe Associated Press

PENSACOLA — A federal judge in Floridaruled Monday that President Barack Oba-ma’s entire health care overhaul law is un-constitutional, placing even noncontrover-sial provisions under a cloud in a broad

challenge that seems certainto be resolved only by theSupreme Court.

Faced with a major legalsetback, the White Housecalled the ruling by U.S. Dis-trict Judge Roger Vinson —in a challenge to the law by26 states including Alabama— “a plain case of judicialoverreaching.” That echoedlanguage the judge had usedto describe the law as an ex-ample of Congress overstep-ping its authority.

Alabama Attorney Gen-eral Luther Strange hailedthe ruling, saying the presi-dent’s health care planwould put the United Stateson a path where Congresscould regulate “every phase of our lives.”

U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus of VestaviaHills also praised the ruling. Bachus said themandate to buy health insurance was an in-trusion into personal liberty.

Vinson’s ruling produced an even split infederal court decisions so far on the healthcare law, mirroring enduring divisionsamong the public. Two judges had previ-ously upheld the law, both Democratic ap-pointees. A Republican appointee in

See HEALTH Page 8A

1995 rulewould forcerecusals

WHAT’S NEWA lawsuit over an Alabamajudicial ethics law has beenmoved from federal court inWashington to federal courtin Montgomery.

WHAT IT MEANSThe suit is renewing argu-ments over a 1995 law thatnever has been enforced.The lawwould requirejudges to step aside fromcases that involved peoplewho had given them sub-stantial donations.

WHAT’S NEXTThe case will be assigned to afederal judge inMontgom-ery, whowill set a schedulefor hearing the case.

By MARY ORNDORFFNews Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON — A federallawsuit that has reignited de-bate in Alabama over an oldbut unenforced limit on cam-paign donations to judges willbe decided in Montgomery, af-ter a three-judge panel movedthe case from Washington.

The case could end an oddstandoff within Alabama’s owngovernment over how to imple-ment a 1995 law meant to stopbig-dollar donations to judgesfrom people who have businessin their courtrooms.

The panel of federal judgesfrom the District of Columbiasaid the case — filed by a mem-ber of the Anniston City Coun-cil against the Alabama attor-ney general — is best left to thefederal courts in Alabama. Thepanel in its order last monthalso dismissed the U.S. attor-ney general as a defendant.

Benjamin Little, the citycouncil member, wants theU.S. Justice Department to re-view the judicial ethics law forevidence that it would have anegative impact on minorities,a standard procedure under

See JUDGE Page 8A

U.S. DistrictJudge RogerVinsonRuledagainst theoverhaul ongrounds thatCongressexceeded itsauthority

McNair’s pension to beused for restitution

By KENT FAULKNews staff writer

A federal judge has ordered that$468 be taken each month from for-mer Jefferson County Commis-sioner Chris McNair’s county pen-sion to pay toward the more than$425,000 he owes in restitution tothe county for his conviction oncorruption charges.

U.S. District Court Judge Lyn-

wood Smith on Monday orderedthat the General Retirement Systemfor Employees of Jefferson Countytake the money from McNair’smonthly pension of $1,872.

“The District Court’s ruling is cor-rect,” said U.S. Attorney Joyce WhiteVance. “It’s time that Chris McNairbegin paying his restitution.”

Doug Jones, attorney for McNair,

See McNAIR Page 8A

ChrisMcNair