Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has requested the resignation of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner W. Kent Davis due to the mishandling of federal American Rescue Plan Act grant funds. The governor’s office made this request in a one-page letter released to the media. Governor Ivey urged Davis to step down by the end of Thursday, noting that failure to do so could result in further action without providing specific details.
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, overseen by the State Board of Veterans Affairs chaired by Governor Ivey, serves former military service members and their families. In the letter, Governor Ivey cited issues with the ARPA grant program administration, suggesting that proposed uses of the funds by Davis’ agency were potentially ineligible under federal Treasury regulations or state policies.
While examples of the alleged ineligible uses were not detailed in the letter, Davis’ office did not offer an immediate response to the governor’s request for resignation. The situation escalated further when it was reported that Davis filed an ethics complaint against another cabinet member, Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kim Boswell, related to a disagreement over grant funds, a complaint that was ultimately dismissed.
Regarding the grant funds, State Senator Greg Albritton, co-chair of the Legislature’s ARPA Oversight Committee, stated that he was unaware of any inappropriate spending but acknowledged that some funds had been retracted as they did not align with ARPA guidelines. Albritton clarified that the state had taken back these funds as they did not comply with the specified regulations.