BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – Two attorneys with a prominent Alabama law firm and a coal company executive have been indicted on charges of bribing a state legislator to oppose an environmental cleanup plan, federal court documents showed Thursday.
Joel Gilbert, 45, and Steven McKinney, 62, are named on charges including conspiracy and bribery, records show. They are partners handling environmental litigation with Balch & Bingham, one of Alabama’s leading law firms.
Drummond Co. vice president David Roberson, 66, was charged with the same crimes.
The three are accused of bribing former state Rep. Oliver Robinson, who pleaded guilty earlier this month to accepting $360,000 in payments. Prosecutors say the law firm represented Drummond, and Robinson got a contract to oppose an expansion of an environmental cleanup site linked to Drummond.
The law firm said both Gilbert and McKinney had been placed on indefinite leave of absence.