Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) is standing fully behind the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees’ decision to return Hugh F. Culverhouse, Jr.’s record donation and strip his name from the UA law school.

The University of Alabama System on Sunday definitively proved that returning Culverhouse’s donation was never about abortion, providing emails that showed the recommendation was made four days prior to any public remarks he made about the subject.

However, Culverhouse has continued to try peddling his abortion-gate conspiracy even after the System’s irrefutable records release.

In a statement on Tuesday, Palmer emphasized that the facts of the matter are clear, despite the wishes of many media outlets in the state and across the country.

“I am proud of the university’s decision to return the funds,” Palmer said. “This is about academic integrity and institutional independence.”

“In returning the funds, The University of Alabama is setting an example that I hope other colleges and universities will follow,” he concluded. “While donors may designate the use of their donations, they do not have a right to dictate how our academic institutions conduct business related to admissions, scholarships, and hiring. To do so would undermine institutional independence and integrity.”

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn