MONTGOMERY — On Wednesday, State Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs) was reportedly removed from the weekly House Republican Caucus meeting after allegedly recording the proceedings without permission.
Alabama Political Reporter's Bill Britt first reported the incident on Wednesday evening, and multiple sources later confirmed the account to 1819 News.
Mooney declined to discuss the matter with 1819 News on the record.
As a practice, House Republican caucus meetings are secretive. As noted on Wednesday by State Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City) on an unrelated matter, the caucus goes by "Fight Club rules," meaning the first and second rules of the caucus are that you do not talk about the caucus.
The three-term incumbent Mooney was reportedly shooed from an impromptu caucus meeting on Wednesday afternoon, called to debate the future of legislation related to the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Sources claim Mooney was accused of trying to record the meeting on his phone.
Mooney's ousting currently appears to be temporary. However, it comes at the tail-end of a session in which a caucus recording caused significant uproar earlier in the year.
In leaked audio from a February caucus meeting, House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) commented on concerns about then-House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen's (R-Hartselle) previously announced bid for the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) chairmanship. In the audio, Ledbetter expressed little concern about ALGOP's future relative to the House Republican caucus and its members.
Stadthagen would go on to resign as House majority leader and win the ALGOP chair.
The source of the initial Ledbetter audio leak has not been publicly named. However, there has been no lack of behind-the-scenes finger-pointing in and around the Alabama State House.
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