Court Papers Disclose New Details in Barron Case

A new court filing in the criminal case against a former state senator and his campaign aide discloses new information the state attorney general’s office planned to present had the case gone to trial Monday.

The paperwork filed by the attorney general’s office says Lowell Barron provided campaign aide Jill Johnson with an interest-free $100,000 loan in 2008 to buy a house.

The loan balance was $50,000 after Barron lost his re-election bid. Barron’s campaign issued her a $50,000 check and then she wrote a $50,000 check to Barron the same day.

Barron says the money was a bonus and was no different than the bonus that Attorney General Luther Strange paid a campaign staffer.

The trial was postponed because Strange’s staff appealed a judge’s pre-trial ruling.

 

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