Corruption and Misuse of Public Funds in the Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin Administration

Part 1 of a multi-part investigative series

Documents obtained from concerned citizens have exposed an alleged scheme of criminal activity and self-dealing within the administration of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. These documents suggest a pattern of systemic taxpayer-funded mismanagement, blurring the lines between municipal governance and personal political ambition.

At the center of these allegations is Chief Strategist and Senior Advisor Ed Fields. According to the records, Fields has allegedly orchestrated a system of misappropriation that utilizes public funds to support both private film projects and political campaign operations.

Misuse of Public Resources

The administration allegedly spent up to $250,000 of taxpayer money to facilitate the production of the film As Goes the South. Funds were reportedly funneled through a network of 501(c)(3) organizations, including Create Birmingham, the Sidewalk Film Center & Cinema, and the Penny Foundation. Furthermore, the administration is accused of leveraging city staff, city-owned facilities—such as Sloss Furnaces and the Birmingham Public Library—and taxpayer-funded work hours to promote the project. Documentation also reveals that the City Council reimbursed Fields $1,899.55 for a trip to Washington, D.C., ostensibly to promote the project.

The "Hybrid" Political Machine

Fields and Woodfin are accused of operating a sophisticated political machine while on the city payroll. Fields has characterized his role in city government as a "hybrid," effectively functioning as both a senior municipal advisor and the campaign manager for the mayor.

Central to these claims is the Next Generation Alabama PAC, which allegedly funded campaign mailers for Woodfin-endorsed candidates without sufficient public disclosure. Investigators are now scrutinizing a "vendor pipeline" linked to Fields; his administrative assistant reportedly submitted $140,000 in funding requests for CBG Strategies, a firm owned by Fields’ business associate, Lindsey McAdory. Financial records indicate that McAdory’s companies have received significant payments from both Woodfin’s campaign and the Next Generation Alabama PAC.

Legal and Ethical Accountability

These actions raise serious questions regarding potential violations of state and federal law:

Alabama Ethics Statutes: The conduct may violate state laws concerning the use of a public position for personal gain and the improper use of public property (AL Code § 36-25-5, § 36-25-7, § 17-17-4).

Federal Fraud: The alleged misapplication of federal funds channeled through nonprofits may constitute federal program fraud under 18 U.S. Code § 666.

As these documents emerge, they expose a glaring lack of transparency, oversight, and ethical boundaries within the Birmingham municipal administration.

The above originally appeared in the Alabama Political Contributor. It is reprinted here, with additional figures, by permission of the author.

Christopher M. Peeks is a Reporter, Columnist and Alabama Political Contributor.

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