By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday, June 7, 2017, Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) announced that State Representative Mike Jones (R-Andalusia) will serve as chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee for the remainder of the 2014 – 2018 Quadrennium.
Jones has been Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. In 2016 his committee was tasked with investigation possible impeachment proceeding against Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (R). It was an enormous task, that was made even more difficult because no one alive could remember the last time that the Legislature had seriously considered impeaching a State official.
Speaker McCutcheon said, “Mike Jones was given a difficult and delicate task when he chaired the Bentley Impeachment Committee, and he won universal praise from his colleagues throughout the process.”
Gov. Bentley ultimately resigned the day that the impeachment hearings began, arguably saving the 2017 Legislative Session from ending in chaos and National scandal.
Speaker McCutcheon said. “The attention to detail and fairness that he demonstrated and the deep respect that he earned from members on both sides of the aisle are exactly what we need in a House Rules Committee chairman, so I am proud to make this appointment.”
The post was vacated earlier this week when State Rep. Alan Boothe (R-Troy) stepped down and announced he would not seek re-election to the House during the 2018 election.
Chairman Jones said, “I deeply appreciate the confidence that the Speaker has placed in me and will work hard to fulfill the duties that the job entails to the best of my abilities.”
Rep. Jones promised that, “As Rules Committee chairman, members across the political spectrum will find that I have an open door and an open mind toward issues, bills, and resolutions that they consider important.”
Rep. Jones represents District 92, which covers portions of Covington, Escambia, and Coffee counties, in 2010 and has chaired the House Judiciary Committee since 2015. There is no word yet on who will take over as Chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
Jones operates a private law practice in Andalusia, Alabama. He is a former Andalusia City Council member and served as Mayor pro tem from 2004 to 2008. He has presided as Andalusia’s municipal court judge in Andalusia from 2008 to the present. The Family Law section of the Alabama State Bar selected him as “Lawyer of the Year” in 2016. Jones was awarded outstanding Lurleen B. Wallace Community College alumnus in 2017. He and his wife, Kathy, have two daughters.
Jones is the third Rule Committee Chairman this year. Mac McCutcheon was Rules Committee Chairman until disgraced former Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard was convicted of 12 counts of felony ethics violations. McCutcheon was chosen by the House to succeed Jones. McCutcheon then chose Boothe to replace him as Rules Committee Chairman.
