Tommy Tuberville threatens to sue Alabama journalist who posted redacted tax returns
Tuberville has faced years of questions about where he actually lives.
Ryan Cooper 
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville has set his sights on legal action against an Alabama news outlet following the publication of redacted portions of his tax records.
A Legal Showdown Over Residency
The gubernatorial candidate issued a cease and desist letter to the Lagniappe Daily on June 6. Counsel for Tuberville alleges the publication improperly accessed and disseminated confidential information in a report released on June 5. The campaign is demanding the removal of the article and has signaled that further legal maneuvers may follow if the outlet fails to comply.
The controversy stems from tax documents that Tuberville’s campaign provided to the state GOP as he navigates a formal challenge to his candidacy. Per Alabama state law, candidates for governor must maintain status as a “resident citizen” for at least seven years.
The Ongoing Residency Debate
For years, questions have swirled regarding where Tuberville actually resides, with the Senator facing ongoing scrutiny over his living situation. While the Senator maintains a beach house in Florida and spends time in Washington, D.C., his camp insists he began living in Alabama in 2018. According to spokesperson Jon Gray, Tuberville completed his move into an Auburn home in 2019, the same year he updated his voter registration and driver’s license.
Rob Holbert, co-publisher of Lagniappe, defended the decision to run the story, telling 205focus.com that the documents were relevant to public discussions regarding residency requirements. Holbert noted that the campaign voluntarily circulated these returns to the state GOP and political opponent Ken McFeeters, and did not immediately object when the redacted documents were first published on June 2.
Conversely, the Tuberville campaign maintains that the materials were intended only for parties involved in the residency challenge and were never meant for public consumption. Gray expressed the campaign's frustration, stating, “I do not agree that this rises to the level of public interest such that somebody’s and some missus’ personal private tax data becomes the information of public.”
Despite the legal tensions, the campaign remains steadfast. “We are 1,000% confident that Tommy Tuberville has been a resident in the state of Alabama,” Gray added, confirming that the campaign continues to prepare for a potential gubernatorial term while addressing the ongoing candidacy challenge.
