AP: “Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to jail an Alabama lawmaker charged with trying to obstruct an investigation into alleged kickbacks.
In a motion filed this week, prosecutors said state Rep. John Rogers, a Democrat from Birmingham, violated the conditions of his bond by attempting to contact a key witness in the case. Prosecutors said Rogers made FaceTime calls to the witness a week after his arraignment. The witness did not answer and reported the calls to federal investigators.
Rogers’ defense attorney asked the court to provide a transcript of the lawmaker’s Oct. 12 arraignment and the judge’s instructions to the lawmaker. The defense lawyer said the transcript is needed to prepare a response to the prosecutor’s request.
Prosecutors have accused Rogers and his assistant of offering additional grant money as a bribe to persuade a person to give false information to federal agents who were investigating possible kickbacks. They say those bribes were paid to Rogers’ assistant.”