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Alabama Bribery Busts

By Jeralyn, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 04:08:54 PM EST
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The feds busted a bunch of legislators, lobbyists and powerful businessmen in Alabama today:

The indictment alleges a sprawling conspiracy to buy votes in the legislature that would benefit the owners of casinos. Four state senators are charged with agreeing to accept — or in some cases, demanding — bribes in the form of campaign contributions or campaign appearances by country music stars. Two casino operators, Ronald Gilley and Milton McGregor, are charged with overseeing the conspiracy, and three lobbyists with carrying it out. An employee of Mr. Gilley’s and an employee of the state legislature were also charged.

Electronic bingo machines were the issue. Some legislators reportedly wore wires to rat out their associates.

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    Alabama Bribery Busts | 27 comments (27 topical)

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    And, once again, it's those putrid, thieving, (none / 0) (#1)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 04:18:26 PM EST
    dirtbag, sell their own mother for a nickel, Rethuglicans.

    Oops...

    Of the four state senators indicted, Means and Ross are Democrats, Preuitt is a Republican and Smith is an independent
    Did someone actually say ... (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by Yman on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 07:17:10 PM EST
    ... that Republicans have a monopoly on corruption?

    Parent
    Yes. (none / 0) (#20)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 10:45:58 AM EST


    Parent
    Really? Who? When? (none / 0) (#22)
    by Yman on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 01:19:26 PM EST
    I understand knocking down straw arguments can be fun, but you really should try to be a little more subtle about it.

    Parent
    You must be joking. (none / 0) (#23)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 02:57:13 PM EST
    I won't spend even a minute "proving" to you that there are posters here who really do think that Dems are simply "better" human beings than R's, and/or that R's are rapacious scum - quite unlike Dems.

    My point, as I have been saying for years here, is that both parties have piles of people who are slimy, and, hopefully, bigger piles of people who are basically good.

    But both parties are made of humans and therefore both parties are full of human failings. No one party is inherently "better" than the other.

    Both parties so often fail to live up their professed beliefs, so you pick the one that at least has professed beliefs that somewhat agree with yours.

    Ya picks yer poison, and ya takes yer lumps...

    Parent

    Not at all (none / 0) (#24)
    by Yman on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 04:36:15 PM EST
    I'm sure there are many here (myself included) who believe that Democrats, in general, are better people than Republicans, in general, an entirely different argument.  Of course, I'm equally certain that no one here has ever made the claim that Democrats are above corruption, or that Republicans have a monopoly on corruption - which was, of course, your original claim and the source of your feigned shock.

    Of course, the reason for the new and improved straw argument is obvious.  I wouldn't "spend even a minute" trying to prove a (straw) fairytale, either.

    Parent

    Good lord, it is to laugh. (none / 0) (#25)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 05:10:33 PM EST
    the claim that Democrats are above corruption, or that Republicans have a monopoly on corruption - which was, of course, your original claim
    Respond if you must, but I'm done with your idiocy.

    Parent
    "Done", indeed (none / 0) (#26)
    by Yman on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 05:43:11 PM EST
    Did someone actually say that Republicans have a monopoly on corruption?
    by Yman on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 07:17:10 PM EST

    Yes.
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 10:45:58 AM EST

    But the "idiocy" is all yours.

    Parent

    The state Democrats in Alabama (none / 0) (#3)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 05:05:24 PM EST
    are just as crooked as the Thuglicans.  The whole state is unbelieveably corrupt as hell :)

    Parent
    Pretty sure it's not limited to Alabama... (none / 0) (#4)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 05:13:06 PM EST


    Parent
    It would appear so these days (none / 0) (#5)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 05:19:11 PM EST


    Parent
    Oh No! (none / 0) (#2)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 05:04:10 PM EST
    Ronnie Gilley is biting the dust.  Was just talking about him the other day on here, he is the creator of BamaJam.  He is like "the Donald" of Bama.  Most people I know don't like him, one couple who are our friends love him but they are friends with the whole Gilley circle.

    Ronnie Gilley is in for a big piece of every deal he is involved in and always shores himself up come hell or highwater.  I thought he was pretty intelligent in a shrewd meanish sort of way.  He built a strip mall down the road from me.  Opened up a few businesses himself in it as the owner, pumped them up monetarily for awhile....long enough to lease out the rest of the mall for fat money.  Then sold the mall to someone who thought they would retire off the rents.  But Gilley pulls both of his flashy businesses out (that is part of the deal), the traffic drops off drastically, the businesses paying crazy rent can't make it either, the whole place ends up in foreclosure.

    He has built one subdivision here about a mile from my house around country music star George Jones (he gave George Jones a house there but I don't think George hangs out there much),  I don't think that venture is going so swell either. And another subdivision in New Brockton AL about five miles from my house with country music star Tracy Lawrence that is called Mayberry Place.  Everything that he touches seems pretty cool at first, but once the frosting melts it all sort of sucks.....except for BamaJam.  Everyone loves BamaJam and it attracts crazy tourist traffic.

    kdog brought up his country crossing casino getting busted and shut down a few months back, Enterprise and Dothan have a real love/hate relationship with Ronnie Gilley though.

    This looks a lot like a sour grapes topic (none / 0) (#6)
    by BTAL on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 05:35:59 PM EST
    in response to Saturday's result.  ;-)

    Seriously, Montgomery is a cess-pool.  All indications based on data from a close friend running for AL State Senate - there is going to be a house cleaning happening on election day.

    And what honest decent politicians (none / 0) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 05:52:00 PM EST
    are taking their place :)?

    Parent
    Bill Holtzclaw is one. (none / 0) (#8)
    by BTAL on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:06:04 PM EST
    With a little luck.  ;)

    For example, during the last election just about everyone was on the "ethics" clean up bandwagon.  ~12 bills were introduced relating to ethics in Montgomery.  Not a single one made it to the floor of either house.

    Parent

    How is he on funding things? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:11:16 PM EST
    I am not kidding about this.  I gave my son's teacher a $50 check yesterday for class supplies and she nearly cried right there.  The teachers are having to pay for their own classroom supplies out of their paychecks.  If he is another one of these kill big government jerks he can immediately KMA.

    Parent
    I just read his healthcare reform (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:15:50 PM EST
    Sorry, but a total idiot and these people in this state are so hardup for any kind of healthcare at all, he won't get in.....I don't care how corrupt the Dems are.  He is only about making things worse for the little people.  Nothing pisses me off more than ex military preaching to civilians about how socialized medicine is bad.  They all partake of socialized medicine every single day and they are too blind and stupid to know that?  I just can't deal with that much stupid!

    Parent
    Public polling shows him in a dead heat (none / 0) (#12)
    by BTAL on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:21:16 PM EST
    Internal tabs shows him winning.

    Parent
    We'll see (none / 0) (#15)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:28:05 PM EST
    Even if he does win, he is no improvement and is utterly unable to address what really ails this state.

    Parent
    Sort of a round about answer here... (none / 0) (#11)
    by BTAL on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:20:12 PM EST
    First, I have two "adjoining" neighbors.  One is the HS principle, the other is the HS History teacher.  Both are great people.  The principle is a bit more liberal than me, the teacher is very middle ground.  Haven't spoken with the principle, but the teacher despises the AEA and how it effects the costs and budgets (yes, she spends her own money for classroom costs too).  The AEA is at the root of the issues of effectively funding the school system.

    My friend is not supported by the AEA.

    Parent

    I read that (none / 0) (#13)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:25:20 PM EST
    And that sounded pretty good, he lost me on healthcare.  This state is so broken in so many ways compared to how I am used to living, I hate living here.  It is depressing, and the people by and large are depressed too because of the desparity between the haves and have nots.  And the Republicans aren't offering to fix anything, just make it worse for those who aren't at the top of the dog eating dog food chain.

    Parent
    Being born and raised in Alabama (none / 0) (#14)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:26:17 PM EST
    for many is like an open invitation to find a way to go to prison.

    Parent
    Huh? I'm a relatively new transplant here (none / 0) (#21)
    by BTAL on Tue Oct 05, 2010 at 10:58:42 AM EST
    but don't understand that comment.

    Parent
    The haves of this state could care (none / 0) (#27)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Oct 06, 2010 at 09:01:40 AM EST
    less about the have nots.  It is the have nots fault.  During the worst of what has been currently happening Alabama has been increasing it prison populations while most everyone else is looking for fewer reasons to lock people up.

    Parent
    Well (none / 0) (#16)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 06:29:56 PM EST
    we can probably even top Alabama here in Ga. Not only is our legislature corrupt, they are also inept and lazy. These stinker have had to go over session numerous times because they can't hand a budget in on time. They spend hours a day plotting ways to turn Ga in to a radical fundamentalist state but can't seem to add two and two. It's so lovely (snark). Now we even have a crook running for Governor named Nathan Deal.

    Parent
    I've only been to Alabama once, ... (none / 0) (#18)
    by Yman on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 07:31:49 PM EST
    ... for a hearing on a school desegregation case (early 90's, believe it or not), but I was pretty shocked by the disparity back then ... sounds like it hasn't changed much.  Met some very nice people and had some great (not-so-healthy)food, but I honestly felt like I had traveled back in time, in some ways.

    Will you be living there for a long time?  More power to you .... I just don't think I could do it.

    Parent

    I think we will be here for (none / 0) (#19)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 04, 2010 at 07:55:01 PM EST
    at least another eight years.  Hopefully it will be eight years of improvements.

    Parent
    Alabama Bribery Busts | 27 comments (27 topical)

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