The Birmingham Urban League last month rejected a $15,573 handout from Rep. John Rogers, in an attempt to avoid controversy in the wake of a criminal kickback scheme. But Rogers turned the controversy back on that nonprofit organization, going on local radio and alleging that the Urban League is known around the Statehouse for “washing money” for public officials.

Rogers, D-Birmingham, said he is glad the Urban League refused his check. The longtime state lawmaker went on to accuse the Urban League of skirting the rules when it comes to managing public grant money.

Rogers, in multiple interviews with AL.com, accused the Urban League of “washing money” for politicians by taking official allocations but saving the cash to be used later at the discretion of the officials who gave it to them.

“The Urban League is a holding place for other legislators and other politicians to tell them where to spend the money,” Rogers told AL.com. “That’s been circulating all over the halls in Montgomery and all in Birmingham about them looking at the Urban League because they’ve been holding money for politicians. When I heard the Urban League was doing that, I was reluctant to give them money because I didn’t want to get involved in that scenario.”

In response to AL.com’s repeated requests for comment on Rogers’ allegations, an Urban League representative provided a statement from CEO William Barnes.

“By focusing on our core mission of equality, justice, and economic empowerment, we have consistently sought to uplift the underprivileged and address the pressing needs of African Americans,” Barnes said in the statement. “The resources from the community service fund have been vital to the support of Jefferson County citizens in our mission to empower communities. The Birmingham Urban League owes its continued success to the unwavering support of our dedicated volunteers, staff, elected officials, and many corporate and community partners.”

Barnes did not address the allegations lodged by Rogers. Several fellow lawmakers dismissed Rogers’ allegations.

“He is not credible,” said Rep. Junadalynn Givan.

Rogers also recently took to the morning talk show airwaves, restating his allegations on the “Gary Richardson Morning Show” on radio station WJLD.

But numerous fellow lawmakers dismissed Rogers and said they support the work of the Urban League, with several citing the nonprofit’s assistance with utility bills among its other community work.

Givan, D-Birmingham, said the Urban League has an “impeccable” reputation and instead said Rogers is distracting people by spreading misinformation. She pointed to Rogers’ connection to the kickback scandal to dispute his credibility.

Rogers claims authorities are looking into the allegations against the Urban League. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney in Birmingham declined to respond to a request for comment, citing DOJ policy to neither confirm nor deny the existence of any investigation.

The back and forth between the lawmaker and the social service organization began last month when the Urban League publicly rejected grant funding from Rogers in the wake of a kickback scandal in which Rogers was connected but not charged.

The Urban League rejected Rogers’ check from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund after learning of the federal corruption case involving former state Rep. Fred Plump.

Plump in that case pleaded guilty to diverting nearly $200,000 of the $400,000 intended to benefit his youth baseball league. According to his plea deal, that money was directed to the baseball league by Rogers, and Plump instead gave the money to Rogers’ personal assistant, Varrie Johnson.

Johnson and Rogers have not been charged with wrongdoing in the case. Plump will be sentenced in October. Johnson was recently charged in an unrelated federal case of benefits and social security fraud.

Urban League leaders soon distanced themselves from Rogers and his grant allocation from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund. Rogers said he was relieved that the group rejected his check.

“I said, ‘thank God’ because I didn’t want to give it to them anyway,” Rogers told AL.com. “I was leery of them because of the rumors that are circulating around the State House.”

When he rejected Rogers’ funding, Barnes, the Urban League CEO, told AL.com that his organization has received grants from the community service fund in the past, but only after discussing specific plans with a lawmaker. Records show that the organization has received grants totaling more than $200,000 since 2018. But in this latest instance, Barnes said the nonprofit never spoke to Rogers about the grant nor asked for any money.

Yet Rogers hit back, saying he never wanted to support the organization, but relented after being asked for money by Urban League supporters.

Rogers alleges the group has used past financial support to host parties to support local politicians and give away prizes, including gas cards, which are handed out during political rallies. Rogers declined to specifically name the elected officials, only saying that they were at both the local and state levels.

“I pulled out of one party because I didn’t want to take money from the Urban League,” Rogers said.

Several Birmingham area lawmakers have allocated money to the Urban League through the community fund in recent years. They include Reps. Givan, Rolanda Hollis, Patrick Sellers, and Sens. Merika Coleman, Rodger Smitherman and Linda Coleman-Madison.

Patrick Sellers, D-Birmingham, and Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, topped the list for 2022-23 Urban League allocations from the community service fund. Sellers allocated $65,000 for general support, while Mereka Coleman allocated $81,750 to the agency for various projects including $50,000 for a small business development with a women & minorities initiative, $25,000 for an empowerment summit, and $6,750.00 for general support. Smitherman, D-Birmingham, did not give any money this current year, but has allocated $75,000 to the group since 2018-2019.

Coleman declined to comment on Rogers’ allegations. She praised the Urban League for its work in providing utility and rent assistance to those in need.

Rep. Sellers, D-Birmingham, allocated $65,000 of his 2022-23 appropriation to the Urban League. Sellers told AL.com he knew nothing about Rogers’ allegations.

“I don’t know anything about that,” he said. “The Urban League is a wonderful organization that does a lot of things for the public. I’ve watched what they have done over the years, especially during the pandemic and all that they do as far as helping people.”

Sellers also specifically noted the Urban League’s work in providing utility bill assistance. He said their operation is no different than other well-known nonprofit agencies.

“We give to the United Way. We give it to the Red Cross. Why not the Urban League?” he said.

Givan gave $43,300 to the Urban League since 2018-2019.

“The Urban League has been impeccable under the leadership of William Barnes and the entire team. They should be treated no differently than any other service organization,” Givan said. “There has never been an issue of impropriety on the part of the CEO, and I’m appalled that anyone would attempt to impugn the character and integrity of the organization or any legislator who may have given to them.”

State Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, who allocated $10,000 to the Urban League in 2022-2023, said her funding was for a specific purpose of economic development research for Birmingham’s Pratt City community in her district.

Coleman-Madison noted that her allocation came with a written service agreement from the Urban League.

“I’m not just giving you the money. I expect results,” Coleman-Madison said. “Mine was for a specific purpose. I’m about results. We need to be about building up business.”

Coleman-Madison said her public spending is regularly detailed in her twice-yearly newsletter and on her Facebook page. Her latest newsletter was distributed in June and lists all of her recent community service fund allocations.

“I’m trying to create a paper trail as far as accountability, so citizens know where taxpayers’ dollars are going,” Coleman-Madison said.

Rogers said he would now direct his rejected Urban League funding to organizers of the Function at the Junction annual festival which is held each summer at Erskine Hawkins Park in Birmingham’s Ensley community.