Orange Beach Mayor Resigns

Wednesday, January 25, 2006
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

Orange Beach Mayor Steve Russo resigned from that position this morning, citing his wish to distance himself and his legal troubles from city government.

He declined to comment on charges levied against him in state and federal indictments last week, but said it would be easier for the city to conduct normal business without the distraction of his pending trials.

Russo said he would leave office immediately.

City Councilman Pete Blalock, mayor pro tem, will take over the city's top job until the City Council votes to appoint a new mayor for the three years remaining in Russo's four-year term.

Blalock, City Council members Tracy Holiday and Jeff Silvers, city employees, family members and friends were present for Russo's announcement at City Hall this morning.

Russo is also scheduled for arraignment in this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Mobile on federal public corruption charges.

In two state indictments made public last week, Russo was charged with a host of misdemeanors and felonies. He faces, in one indictment, seven counts of violating Alabama elections law by not reporting $33,000 in campaign contributions and using it to pay for vacations and personal items. The second includes 14 counts associated with soliciting and accepting bribes from developer Jim Brown and breaking state ethics laws.

Half of the seven-count federal case against Russo relates to the state's charges of election fraud, alleging that because he used the unreported funds to pay credit card bills via phone and U.S. mail, he committed felony wire and mail fraud. The other half alleges that the mayor, during an official trip to New York, illegally billed the city for personal expenses including a limousine service and expensive theater tickets.

Also named in state indictments are Brown, City Attorney Larry Sutley and former City Councilman Joe McCarron.