The Lula City Council voted Tuesday night to remove Councilman Gene Bramlett from office following a public hearing alleging he shared confidential information with the public.
The Lula City Council and members of the public were present for the public hearing, citing that Gene Bramlett had previously shared information about a potential Assistant City Manager position with members of the public earlier this year.
Bramlett was the first witness called to testify, saying that the sitting city council members were not fit to decide on his status of councilman, due to their inability to be impartial in their ruling, according to Bramlett.
The Lula City Council members were the governing body that decided for removal.
The allegations brought before the council stated that Bramlett had leaked information about city personnel and hiring decisions to the media following a July 10, 2023 executive session.
Bramlett’s defense stated that the information that was shared wasn’t confidential since other members of the public reportedly knew about it already.
This defense fell flat to the council, as the prosecution noted that it isn’t Bramlett’s sole decision to declassify information, regardless of the public already knowing any aspects of that information.
Councilman Tony Cornett put forward the motion to remove Bramlett after the council met for an executive session to deliberate.
“I'll make a motion for the removal of Mr. Bramlett on the following grounds as indicated in the charge documents,” Cornett said. “Item one: incompetence, misfeasance or malfeasance in office pursuant to section 2.17, A-1, and item number two, pursuant to section 2.17, A-4 for knowingly violating section 2.163, by disclosing confidential information concerning the government and affairs of the governmental body without proper legal authorization, and using such information to advance the private interests of yourself.”
