State representative Alvin Holmes of Montgomery is the chairman of the legislative contract review committee. Holmes claims that the state offered up the cash a bit too soon, preceding the date that the actual contract with firm was submitted. Therefore, Holmes is questioning the legality of the $50,000 payment.
Emerson responded to Holmes, saying that the governor declared the contract an ''emergency'' and thus did not need to submit it before the committee.
Yesterday, Holmes rejected Riley's request for $840,000 in legal fees to support his task force on gambling. In fact, Holmes has a history of rejecting Riley's requests for legal funds.
Previously, Holmes vetoed one contract for $750,000 to firm Blach & Bingham of Birmingham, and another contract for $90,000 to firm Bradley Arant Boult & Cummings of Birmingham. The latter firm already possesses over $1 million in contracts with the state.
Holmes has requested that Alabama's Attorney General Troy King give an advisory opinion regarding the legality of the payment to Bainbridge.
Riley's administration is adamant that they conducted the contract legally. However, Holmes argues that while the contract was delivered on July 26, and though it was on the agenda for the August meeting, no one attended said meeting.
Emerson defended Riley, saying, ''We make sure we get it time stamped and date stamped so we have proof it was submitted to the committee on time,'' said Emerson. ''The law does not require someone to be in attendance. That is something that they came up with on their own. That's not in any law.''
