FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2020
For media inquiries only, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Attorney General Steve Marshall Announces Conviction of Former State Senator David Burkette for Violating Alabama’s Fair Campaign Practices Act
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the conviction today of David Burkette, a former State Senator, Montgomery City Councilman, and Montgomery Public School educator, for violating Alabama’s Fair Campaign Practices Act.
Burkette pleaded guilty on September 21 to violating the Fair Campaign Practices Act by failing to deposit campaign contributions into his campaign checking account, a violation of Ala. Code ß 17-5-6 (1975). During the plea proceedings, Burkette stipulated that, while a candidate for Montgomery City Council in 2015, he raised $3,625 in campaign donations but intentionally failed to deposit those donations into his campaign account. Instead, Burkette deposited or cashed those donations into or against his personal bank accounts.
Burkette resigned his state senate seat and was subsequently sentenced to 30 days in jail. However, his sentence was suspended, and he was placed on 12 months of probation. He was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine and court costs.
“Candidates for public office at the state, county and municipal levels must comply with the State’s Fair Campaign Practices Act,” said Attorney General Marshall. “Personally profiting from campaign funds erodes public confidence in the system and will not be tolerated.”
Attorney General Marshall commended Assistant Attorneys General Jasper Roberts and Kyle Beckman as well as Special Agents of the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding work to achieve this conviction.
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