Right-wing site’s reporting on mayor raises ethics questions after his death

Journalism professor A.J. Bauer felt a pit in his stomach last Wednesday when he opened an email newsletter from 1819 News. The Alabama-based conservative media website was promoting its story alleging that a small-town mayor who was also a pastor wore women’s clothing and makeup while posing online.

Bauer, who teaches at the University of Alabama, had watched as some in the state grew increasingly hostile to those who don’t adhere to traditional gender norms — in recent years, an avalanche of anti-transgender bills and others targeting the LGBTQ+ community had hit the state legislature. He feared that F.L. “Bubba” Copeland Jr., the mayor of Smiths Station and a senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Phenix City, could face a strong backlash following the right-wing site’s allegations.