Read Freely Alabama, a group concerned about book challenges around the state, requested an investigation into state GOP chair John Wahl for a potential conflict of interest.

Wahl also serves on the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) board.

Wahl will be a guest speaker at a Clean Up Alabama (CUA) event on November 2 as the District 5 representative of APLS. CUA is one of the groups bringing up book challenges and has compiled a list of 102 books they consider inappropriate for children.

In a letter to APLS director Nancy Pack, RFA said Wahl “actively spread misinformation about Alabama library collections and publicly suggested revising laws that would allow for prosecution and imprisonment for librarians.”

Efforts to reach Wahl were not immediately successful.

In a recent Jeff Poor Radio show appearance, Wahl said he may push for legislation that would remove the obscenity exemption from libraries.

“Libraries are abusing their status here in putting explicit sexual material in front of children in children’s sections,” Wahl said on the show.

RFA is calling for an investigation into Wahl’s actions and restricting Wahl from speaking at CUA events as a representative of APLS.

The letter states Wahl “is abusing his authority as a member of the APLS Board of Directors to enhance his political reputation as ALGOP Chair and consolidate power going into an election year.”