Three Orange Beach Council Members File Ethics Complaint Against Mayor Tony Kennon

Three members of the City of Orange Beach council have filed a formal ethics complaint against Mayor Tony Kennon, alleging conflicts of interest, improper influence over council decisions, threats directed toward elected officials, and failures related to transparency and disclosure of information.

The complaint, filed with the Alabama Ethics Commission on May 1, 2026, was signed by Council members Ginger Harrelson, Jeff Silvers, and Robert Stuart. The filing requests a formal investigation into Kennon's conduct and asks the commission to determine whether violations of the Alabama Ethics Act occurred.

The September 2024 Incident Allegedly Involving Tony Kennon

As the center of the complaint is a September 2, 2024 incident involving the mayor that was captured on police body camera footage at the Coastal Resources Building, a city-owned facility. According to the complaint, the incident later became the subject of a public records dispute and federal litigation involving Orange Beach resident C.C. Dixon-Moreno after her request for the footage was denied by the City.

The complaint alleges that discussions surrounding the footage and related litigation created a conflict between the mayor's personal interests and his responsibilities as a public official.

According to the filing, City Council members viewed the body camera footage after an executive session on April 1, 2026. The complaint alleges that during discussions regarding the footage and litigation strategy, Kennon argued that the video should not be released because he did not want his wife and family to be "embarrassed."

The council members contend that those statements demonstrated a personal interest in decisions involving the City's response to public records requests and litigation strategy.

Questions About Independent Legal Counsel

The complaint further alleges that concerns regarding the City's legal representation arose after council members learned details about the underlying incident and questioned whether independent legal counsel should be retained to advise the City.

According to the filing, Councilwoman Ginger Harrelson prepared a resolution that would have allowed the City Council to retain independent legal counsel. The complaint states that the resolution was removed from a subsequent meeting agenda before it could be considered.

Allegations of Threats Toward Council Members

The filing also describes a second executive session held on April 21, 2026. During that meeting, the complainants allege that Mayor Kennon stated he would pursue legal action against individual council members if they voted to authorize release of the body camera footage.

According to the complaint, council members interpreted those statements as threats intended to influence their votes and decision-making authority.

The complaint also alleges that the mayor made comments regarding recent election results and suggested he had the ability to influence the future electoral prospects of council members.

In support of those allegations, the filing references contemporaneous written communications exchanged among council members following the executive session. According to the complaint, multiple council members documented concerns that they had been personally threatened with legal action.

Transparency and Disclosure Concerns

Beyond the allegations involving executive sessions, the complaint raises concerns about the flow of information within city government.

The complainants allege that members of the City Council were not informed of the September 2024 incident at or near the time it occurred, despite the alleged involvement of the mayor and the incident taking place at a city-owned facility.

The filing also questions whether information concerning the incident was omitted from routine police reporting provided to council members and raises concerns about the preservation of potentially relevant evidence, including security camera footage from the Coastal Resources Building.

According to the complaint, some city officials were aware of the incident shortly after it occurred, while other officials reportedly learned of it months later. The complainants argue that those circumstances raise questions regarding internal communication, disclosure obligations, and transparency.

The complainants have asked the Alabama Ethics Commission to investigate whether Kennon's conduct violated provisions of the Alabama Ethics Act relating to conflicts of interest, use of official position for personal benefit, improper influence over public officials, interference with legislative authority, and transparency in government decision-making.

Specifically, the complainants request that the Ethics Commission conduct a formal investigation, determine whether violations occurred, issue findings and recommendations, and take any corrective action deemed appropriate.

Additional records requests, interviews, and responses from involved parties remain pending. Murder Creek Media will continue following this story and public updates as new information is obtained.

Editor's Note: The allegations described in this article are contained in a formal ethics complaint filed with the Alabama Ethics Commission. No findings have been issued, and the filing itself does not constitute proof of wrongdoing.