By Chip Brownlee
Alabama Political Reporter
MONTGOMERY — Alabama House Majority Leader Micky Hammon, R-Decatur, survived a vote of confidence and will continue as the Republican majority leader for this Legislative Session.
The House Republican membership voted on Hammon’s leadership Wednesday in a Caucus meeting. The vote was said to be related to an investigation into a business interest of Hammon’s and Rep. Jack Williams, R-Birmingham, according to sources who spoke with APR.
Several sources confirmed that the vote was razor thin. Hammon only maintained his majority leadership by one vote.
A member of the House Republican Caucus asked for the vote of confidence last week after it became known that some legislators were interviewed by the US Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General.
Sources, who wished not to be named, said the interviews related to a bill during the spring 2016 Legislative Session in the House Commerce and Small Business Committee. A questionable bill was pushed by Hammon under the chairmanship of Williams, and it had the potential to affect both William’s and Hammon’s businesses.
Rep. Jim Carns replaced Williams as the chair of the Commerce and Small Business Committee in December, and Williams was completely removed from the Committee.
Earlier this month Williams announced he would not seek re-election in 2018.
Hammon was first elected to the House in 2002 and has been House Majority Leader since the House came under Republican leadership in 2010. Hammon was known as a staunch ally of House Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn.
If the vote had failed, an election would have been held for a new majority leader.
Many newly elected members of the House are concerned with Hammon’s leadership and the possibility of conflicts of interest, the sources said.
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