Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard, who is currently suspended from her position, is facing allegations of spending over $1 million in taxpayer money on public relations consultants and promotional campaigns. Records indicate the funds were drawn from a discretionary account originally established for preserving and digitizing historic county records.
Newly disclosed financial records reveal that Blanchard approved substantial payments to CBG Strategies LLC, a public relations firm, totaling at least $637,000, and to Greene Consulting Group LLC, a government affairs company, amounting to $450,000. These expenditures, occurring over approximately one year, were largely categorized as 'professional services.' Some records also detailed direct-mail campaigns costing over $53,000 and approximately $142,000 for radio commercials, some of which featured Blanchard discussing election procedures in her capacity as Jefferson County's chief elections official.
The spending also encompassed at least $9,400 for professional photography, including staff headshots and an $850 photo session for the Assistant Probate Judge. Additional expenses covered office furniture and donations to community organizations.
The funds originated from the Jefferson County Probate Court Archive Fund, created by the Alabama Legislature in 2012 to safeguard and digitize aging county documents. The fund is financed by fees from probate filings and can be used for services deemed necessary to enhance the probate judge's office.
Blanchard, through her attorneys, has defended the expenditures, stating they were part of an initiative to modernize the probate court and improve citizen outreach and access to services. She claims these efforts resulted in a mobile app, an ADA-compliant website, improved case management, a more efficient land records system, and enhanced digital communications and community outreach events.
However, ethics experts have raised concerns about the broad interpretation of the archive fund's purpose. Jim Sumner, former director of the Alabama Ethics Commission, emphasized that public funds should align with their intended purpose and that discretionary funds without clear guidelines can invite abuse. Susan Pace Hamill, Professor Emerita of Law at the University of Alabama, suggested the spending represented a "creative interpretation" of the law, stressing the importance of scrutinizing such flexible standards to maintain taxpayer confidence.
These spending revelations surface just days before Blanchard is scheduled to appear at a judicial misconduct hearing on July 9. She was suspended from the bench on May 21 over separate allegations, including claims of bullying staff, retaliating against employees, intimidating attorneys, and repeatedly delaying court hearings. Blanchard has denied all allegations in that case.
Former Jefferson County Manager Tony Petelos commented that such spending was not typical, noting that previous probate judges utilized the fund differently. He also stated that while county officials processed spending requests, they did not control how the money was ultimately spent. Former Probate Judge Alan King, who helped establish the archive fund, noted that expenditures during his tenure required approval from both the county attorney's office and the Alabama State Auditor's Office, a process not explicitly detailed in the recent disclosures.