Athens attorney John Plunk has been appointed to a five-year term on the Alabama Ethics Commission.

Alabama House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, nominated Plunk, and the Alabama Senate confirmed him as a member Wednesday in a 28-0 vote.

Plunk will join the five-member panel in September, replacing current commissioner Stewart Tankersley. The other commissioners include Chairman Jerry Fielding of Sylacauga, Vice Chairman Frank “Butch” Ellis Jr. of Columbiana, Charles Price of Montgomery and Beverlye Brady of Auburn.

Plunk told The News Courier he is honored to be a part of the commission and he wants to do what he can to help restore confidence in state government.

“Alabama could not have had a better person step into the role of Speaker of the House than Mac McCutcheon, at the time and under the circumstances he took office,” Plunk said. “He has restored everyone’s trust and confidence in the office. He has been a public servant his entire adult life. He is in politics for all the right reasons. If all of our leaders mirrored his character and approach to the job our state would be a better place.”

Plunk pointed to the resignation of former Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley this year and the removal of House Speaker Mike Hubbard as House speaker last year as incidents that eroded the public’s faith in their leaders.

“If I can help the speaker restore confidence in state government by serving on the Ethics Commission, I want to do that,” Plunk said. “We must have ethics, honesty and transparency in state government. At the same time, we need to make it easy for those who want to serve to to comply with ethical rules and law.”

When asked to explain, Plunk said, “Some people take risks without regard to the rules and some people who run for office need to know what the rules are so they don’t make mistakes.”

Plunk said current ethics laws are tough to follow. He said he has talked to people in Montgomery who believe the current laws have been changed so many times it might be time to start over.

What do they do?

The Ethics Commission was created by the Alabama Legislature in 1973 to ensure public officials are independent and impartial; that decisions and policies are made in the proper governmental channels; that public office is not used for private gain; and, most importantly, that there is public confidence in the integrity of government. The commission staff researches the various complaints filed with the commission, then the commissioners hear the cases and make a determination as to whether state ethics law was violated.

Limestone cases

Plunk was asked how he would address recent ethics complaints involving Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones for sending campaign letters to the grand jury in 2016, and Limestone County Commissioner Mark Yarbrough for his alleged actions in connection with the firing of Byron Cook and Greg Holland, former general manager and assistant manager of the Limestone County Water and Sewer Authority Board in 2016. Plunk said he would have to recuse himself from voting because he had practiced law in the same judicial district as Jones and was a supporter of Yarbrough’s campaign.