Two black boot prints with detailed tread patterns are arranged diagonally on a white background
01.30.2019

STEPPING UP

State and local politicians diverted critical disaster funds to line their own pockets and fund pet projects. Following up on our investigation, financial records reveal millions in BP settlement funds were quietly siphoned away from public infrastructure. Will anyone finally hold these corrupt leaders accountable for their greed?
A waving American flag on a tall pole stands beside a central fountain and flower beds in a sunny public park
01.26.2019

STATE OF THE CITY - 2019

Previous city leaders treated municipal utility accounts like personal slush funds to pay off disastrous legal settlements. Our investigation continues as financial audits expose how former officials double-dipped on city paychecks while deepening public debt. The Ripp Report breaks down the true cost of years of backroom political deals.
The Fairhope Downtown Clock on a black and gold pole stands beside flower-lined sidewalks, overlooking an empty street leading to downtown buildings
01.23.2019

TICK-TOCK

Fairhope council members secretly cut deals with private developers to trade off prime downtown property. Building on previous coverage, council minutes and meeting records expose how councilmen ignored zoning laws to protect favored insiders. Time is running out for the politicians who sold out the town's character.
A small brown frog sits on a metal pot handle, with the blurred interior of the cooking vessel in the background
01.18.2019

BOILING FROG

City planners rammed high-density apartment developments through approval without giving residents a chance to speak. Continuing our coverage, internal traffic studies prove officials knew these developments would paralyze key local intersections. Discover how local officials slowly trapped taxpayers in an infrastructure nightmare.
A shovel with a black D-shaped handle, wooden shaft, and black blade
01.16.2019

SHOVEL READY

County officials raided school tax dollars to subsidize a vacant multi-million-dollar industrial gamble. Following up on recent reports, contract records demonstrate that board members pushed unvetted promises while debt piled up. We expose the corporate welfare scheme hiding behind flashy press releases.
Jack Burrell smiles while wearing a blue pilot cap with gold wings and a black leather jacket
01.11.2019

CAPTAIN JACK

Council President Jack Burrell rigged airport authority bids to favor political cronies and private business partners. Documents reveal how airport officials altered lease agreements and canceled public broadcasts to hide suspicious land deals. See how a network of self-serving insiders quietly took control of public assets.
A row of gray dominoes falling from left to right on a reflective surface
01.09.2019

CONSEQUENCES

Powerful state representatives walked away with hundreds of thousands in public funds while minor players faced federal charges. Our investigation continues as financial trails show how connected politicians manipulated ethics rules to escape criminal prosecution. Can justice ever prevail when the corrupt get to write their own rules?
A waving American flag and a central fountain dominate a sunlit public park. Lush trees and flower beds surround the scene under a clear blue sky
01.04.2019

CONGRATULATIONS FAIRHOPE

Former city leadership squandered millions on bad property deals while ignoring failing municipal sewer systems. Building on earlier reports, newly uncovered grant files show how politicians diverted environmental cleanup money into backroom settlements. Uncover the real truth behind the city's self-congratulatory infrastructure claims.
EXPOSURE
01.02.2019

EXPOSURE

State oversight agencies systematically buried corruption complaints to protect corrupt Baldwin County politicians. Records show how state ethics officials used loop-hole advisory opinions to grant total immunity to dishonest officeholders. The Ripp Report brings these dark room deals directly into the light of day.