By Bill Britt
Alabama Political Reporter
MONTGOMERY—On his first Statement of Economic Interests (SEI) filed with the Alabama Ethics Commission (in 2010), Sen. Phil Williams (R-Rainbow) listed no professional or consulting clients. However, on his latest filing for 2014, he enumerated 43.
Williams’ clients include:
3 Loan and/or Finance Companies worth between $1,000 – $10,000
7 Banks worth between $10,000 – $25,000
15 Professional worth between $100,000 – $150,000
3 Municipal worth between $10,000 – $25,000
15 MISCELLANEOUS worth between $25,000 – $50,000
Since becoming a Senator, Williams has raked-in contracts which, at a minimum, could total $146,000 to a maximum $265,000 per year, according to his report.
According to a Senate Republican Caucus spokesperson, “Williams’ ethics filing shows reoccurring litigation clients.”
On February 25, 2011, Williams wrote a letter to the Alabama Ethics Commission informing then Director Jim Sumner that he had recently left his position at Tax Credit Processing Center, and that his newly-formed law firm, Williams and Associates had begun to represent at least one city (Altoona) as a client, and had started to solicit other municipal clients.
Williams’ official legislative biography states that his law firm’s “primary focus in the practice of law is largely in the areas of insurance, corporate and municipal/governmental defense.” William claims the 43 contracts represent reoccurring litigation clients.
A search of Alacourt, which records all court appearances, shows Williams represented in court a total of 18 clients between 2011 and 2014. Of those clients, only three were reoccurring.
State court filings show Williams served as a reoccurring debt collector for ServPro, Butler Electrical Contractors and Advanced Imaging of Gadsden.
Servpro Industries, Inc. is a franchisor of fire and water cleanup and restoration.
According to its website, Advanced Imaging of Gadsden, “is Gadsden’s only FULL SERVICE Outpatient Diagnostic facility with a full time Board Certified Radiologist on site, (as the ACR requires for Diagnostic Mammograms).”
Butler Electrical Contractors is owned by Rep. Mack Butler (R-Gadsden), who was elected in 2012 in a Special Election to fill the seat left vacant by Blaine Galliher.
Court records show Williams had only three reoccurring litigation clients, however, according to Williams’ Senate spokesperson, all 43 are reoccurring litigation clients.
Williams reportedly was to supply this publication with a full list of clients but his spokesperson said he could not because of attorney/client privilege.
