Alabama lawmaker, assistant plead not guilty to federal charges

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Alabama state Rep. John Rogers has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to obstruct a federal investigation into an alleged kickback scheme involving state grants. The longtime Democratic lawmaker from Birmingham entered the not guilty plea Thursday in federal court. His assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall, also pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice and tax charges. Last month’s indictment accuses Rogers and Kindall of offering additional grant money as a bribe to persuade a person to give false information to federal agents who were investigating possible kickbacks that prosecutors said were paid to Rogers’ assistant.