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Senator Tommy Tuberville Ejects Reporter Over Salary Pledge Question
By Drooid · · How we work
Ejection at Campaign Dinner
During a meet-and-greet at Moe’s Original BBQ in Alabama, a reporter from *Lagniappe* asked Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) whether he had fulfilled his 2020 promise to donate his congressional salary to veterans, their widows and children. Tuberville instructed staffers to “Get him out.” Press secretary Jonathan Eberle told the reporter “We’re not doing press today,” and Mobile County Sheriff’s deputies escorted the journalist from the event without incident. The incident occurred five days after Tuberville faced a similar line of questioning at an earlier October campaign stop.
Pledge History and Investigation
In his 2020 Senate campaign, Tuberville pledged to give away “every dime” of his $174,000 annual salary to Alabama veterans and their families. A *Lagniappe* investigation in June found no record of any such donations, a shortfall that would now exceed $1 million if the pledge had been kept. At the October stop, Tuberville attributed the lack of donations to tax-related requirements and challenged his Democratic opponent, former Sen. Doug Jones, to disclose his “bank returns.” No evidence of compliance with the original promise has been presented.
Official Statements & Responses
Tuberville reiterated the pledge, saying he hoped the public believed his 2020 statement. He also claimed tax rules prevented him from donating the salary, though he offered no documentation. Press secretary Jonathan Eberle explicitly declined to take questions at the dinner, reinforcing the campaign’s decision to limit media interaction.