Tony Crony

An Investigation into Power, Influence, and Public Records in Orange Beach, Alabama

For more than a year, Murder Creek Media has reviewed public records, property transactions, corporate filings, financial disclosures, meeting recordings, ethics complaints, and other publicly available information related to Orange Beach city government.

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What began as a review of a handful of records quickly evolved into something much larger.

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One property transaction led to another. One business entity led to another. One filing raised questions that prompted a closer look at the next. As records accumulated, so did questions.

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Tony Crony is an ongoing investigative series examining public records, financial disclosures, real estate transactions, political relationships, government actions, and the interconnected network of individuals, entities, and organizations surrounding Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon.

This series is not intended to tell readers what conclusions they should reach. Nor is it an allegation of criminal wrongdoing against any individual. Instead, it is an effort to organize years of public information, document the reporting process, and present the records in a way that allows the public to evaluate the facts for themselves.

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Throughout this investigation, readers will encounter property records, corporate filings, Statements of Economic Interest, meeting minutes, audio recordings, campaign activity, ethics complaints, public statements, and other documents that help tell the story of how influence, business, and government intersect in one of Alabama's fastest-growing coastal communities.

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Every article published as part of this series is based upon identifiable sources, public records, interviews, government documents, public meetings, or other verifiable information. Whenever possible, source documents will be linked directly so readers can examine the records themselves.

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Investigative reporting is not about proving a theory. It is not about starting with a conclusion and working backward.

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This series represents that process.