Alabama Bingo Theater Continues

by: mooncat

Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 17:03:55 PM CST

Dueling press conferences, a blizzard of press releases, debate (?) in the Legislature ... I have absolutely no idea where this is going.

Troy King held a press conference today declaring that, although he has the authority to shut down the Governor's anti-gambling task force, that's "not an option I'm prepared to exercise - yet.

The Governor's responded that King has no credibility left on this issue.

In a release, Victoryland Attorney Mark White said:

“We believe the Governor and Mr. Tyson should follow the advice given to them by the State’s Attorney General and remove our property and our citizens from their lawless threats of arrest and destruction. 

Because our machines have been certified to be in compliance with the Alabama Supreme Court Decision that set out the six-point definition of legal bingo, we are anxious to put our employees back to work and restore business operations.  We are willing to prove that again in the Circuit Court of Macon County. 

If the Governor and Mr. Tyson reject the advice they have been given, the citizens will know they are acting against the best interests of our State.  General King will then have to decide if he will do his job as Attorney General by stepping in and taking over the legal process which is clearly his right under the Constitution.”

Or, to paraphrase, "Sic 'em, Troy!"

Then John Tyson, head of the Governor's anti-gambling task force, held a press conference to say:

Slot machines are illegal no matter what name you call them ...

It is the duty of the Task Force in Illegal Gambling to enforce the criminal law of Alabama. We will do just that.

The attorney general knows what his powers are. And he basically announced today (that) while he was going to give his advice, he was not going to do anything. So the work of the task force will continue.

Paraphrasing again: "Do your job, or get the hell out of the way, Troy!"

And here's Victoryland Attorney Mark White, again:

“The position taken by Mr. Tyson today confirms he is determined to create a Constitutional crisis in our state and endanger the life, liberty and property of Alabama’s citizens.

Mr. Tyson and Governor Riley do not believe they are accountable to any law or any person.  Everyone must now ask the question ‘Why are they doing this now?’

General King today confirmed Mr. Tyson and Governor Riley were turned down by neutral magistrates and judges in Macon and Greene counties because there was no probable cause.  They now seek to declare probable cause themselves and it is clear they are proceeding in bad faith and contrary to law.  They have created civil liability for this State in amounts that defy imagination.

Every citizen now stands in peril because of their desperate actions.”

Which sounds kind of like "The sky is falling!  Do something!"

These are grown men with good jobs.  Surely there's rhyme or reason motivating them ... somebody please pull back the curtain and let the rest of us see it.

AG Troy King Fighting Alabama District Attorneys in Alabama Supreme Court

by: countrycat

Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 08:03:08 AM CST

There's big doings at Alabama's Supreme Court.  Not satisfied with open warfare with Governor Riley and his anti-gambling task force, Attorney General Troy King squares off against Alabama's District Attorneys.

The power struggle before the high court stems from lawsuits filed by five district attorneys, who accuse some large pharmacy companies of violating state law by filling prescriptions with generic drugs when a doctor prescribed a name brand. Some of the state's top plaintiff lawyers helped the district attorneys file the suits and would share in any winnings.

Attorney General Troy King wants to take over the suits as the state's chief law officer and have them thrown out. He has asked the Supreme Court for an order that would let him do that.

The DAs aren't taking this lying down:

The Alabama District Attorneys Association, the statewide organization for Alabama's DAs, argues that King has the authority to take over criminal cases, but not civil cases like the drug lawsuits.

In court papers, they accuse King of seeking "superpowers" that would make all district attorneys subordinate to him.

Superpowers? That's one trait that I never, ever associated with Troy King.

The undercurrent in this whole case is, of course, gambling:

The lawyers argue the drug case could determine whether King could assume control of a future gambling case brought by the task force or district attorneys, like the current task force commander, Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson.

But the real issue is much bigger, I think.  King is supposed to be Alabama's top law enforcement official, but he seems to do nothing but antagonize sheriffs, DAs, police officers, and anyone else who comes into contact with him.

Remember when Parker Griffith, Mooncat, and I attended the Twickenham Republican Women's meeting?  AG candidate Luther Strange was the main speaker and he had absolutely nothing good to say about Troy King.  

In fact, the meeting turned into somewhat of an anti-Troy king revival meeting as Madison County Sheriff Blake Dorning and Madison County DA Robert Broussard took the opportunity to "testify" about how AG King had never supported them in anything, never called them, and was more an impediment to law enforcement officials than a help.

I have video but don't have time to put it up right now.  Have to get ready to drive over to Scottsboro for the Scottsboro Boys Museum Grand Opening.  I'll try to upload some clips this afternoon and put them in the comments.

It was pretty strong stuff and Mooncat and I left the meeting thinking that Troy King seems to be toast in the primary - at least in Madison County.  However, this gambling issue seems to be one that could split the Republican party along geographic lines and officials from the Northern and Southern parts of the state square off for and against.

It's going to be a really interesting primary to watch. 

Riley Appoints John Tyson as Top Gambling Enforcer

by: mooncat

Mon Jan 25, 2010 at 17:05:01 PM CST

This is guaranteed to get AG Troy King's drawers in a wad.

Mobile County DA John Tyson takes over antigambling task force

Actually, Troy's drawers have been in a wad ever since Bob Riley created the illegal gambling task force.  Tough tacos, Troy.  If you'd do your damned job the governor wouldn't need to create law enforcement teams to work around you.

Riley needed a new head for the Task Force on Illegal Gambling because the old one, David Barber, had a (swear I'm not making this up) gambling problem.  Gambling magnate Milton McGregor had Barber followed to a Mississippi casino, where he won around $2000, and allegedly threatened to make that knowledge public.  Barber subsequently resigned.

Bob Riley's appointments seldom please me, but John Tyson is an excellent choice for this job, provided Riley is serious about gambling enforcement in this state.  As DA of Mobile County -- a job he isn't stepping down from -- he's demonstrated that outside pressure will not dictate which cases he pursues.  He was also Troy King's Democratic opponent in 2006.  I think this means, "Look out Country Crossings!"

Gov. Riley's final State of the State

by: mediagadfly

Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 19:45:26 PM CST

I am not sure how to embed video, but the full text is below the cut - I'll add a link to video when I find it. Some choice quotes from our good Governor's final State of the State address (and Lt. Governor Folsom's response) below.

Just so you know - anything in brackets is from my personal typed transcript and diverges from the official remarks.

On this year's budget:

I know you've read the same dire predictions and heard the same horror stories that I have. You've heard nothing awaits us in this session but doom and gloom. The lobbyists and the gambling interests have told you over and over that we must find new revenue, somewhere, or the sky's going to fall.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's what we in Clay County would call a [bunch of bull].

In the budget I'm sending you, General Fund agencies will receive the same amount of funding that they will be getting this year. No cuts. In fact, there is the potential for them to receive an increase of up to four percent. And in the education budget, that budget will increase funding for schools by over $400 million.

On Riley's economic recovery plan: 

The first proposal is a $1,500 tax credit to jumpstart new jobs. A proposal that an independent economist projects will create 6,000 new jobs!

This idea is becoming a national model to get people back to work. At least one other state is using our same proposal to help in its economic recovery. And the President recently announced he is proposing this idea also. If others around the country are realizing tax incentives do work to create jobs, then Alabama should be leading this effort, not falling behind.

Governor Riley took a moment to attack a Congress "we can't control" for passing big spending bills and unfunded mandates, using it as a handy segue into something we can control - gambling! Quotes:

I can't imagine anyone who thinks the best way to help our economy is to have Alabamians lose billions of dollars gambling!

(Unsurprisingly, WSFA's camera cut to Commissioner Sparks sitting in the front row.)

No, this money is taken out of that county and sent to out-of-state slot machine makers and gambling bosses. Just imagine how many billions more will be taken out of the pockets of Alabamians if you vote to make it legal. Talk about a rip off!

Now I ask you: who ultimately pays for all these [social] problems? The casino operators? Not a chance. They're making money hand over fist off this misery. It's the taxpayers who are the ultimate losers. In states with casinos, for every one dollar casinos contribute in taxes, they cost taxpayers at least three dollars in additional government services to deal with the devastation the casinos leave behind.

 If there is one person who knows the lawlessness and corruption that gambling brings, it is [fmr. Gov. John Patterson]. Listen to his warning, which was in the newspaper last week. He said: "Gambling brings the bad people to town and brings out the bad in good people. There's nothing about it that's good."

Ladies and gentlemen, heed his warning. If you vote to let this happen, you'll be swimming in a pool that has more sharks than all the oceans of the world.

Charter schools came up:

If you really do want to bring more education dollars into our state, then join me in fighting to allow public charter schools in Alabama!

This is truly one of those moments in our history that compels us to push open the door of opportunity -- for the sake of our children and our schools. Get charter schools on the floor for debate. Don't kill it in committee. Let every lawmaker have a vote -- yes or no. It will either succeed or fail. But if we don't try, then our failure is guaranteed. None of us -- no parent, no teacher, no student -- should allow failure to ever be inevitable.

And on PACT: 

I believe this state made a commitment to families who enrolled in our pre-paid tuition program.

WSFA had a few questions for Lt. Governor Folsom afterwards - there are a few more at my twitter stream, but here's my favorite exchange:

Concerned about Gov appearing dependent on more Fed funds? Folsom: Has been a res introduced in DC asking for addtl stim money and extension

Folsom: There's hope at this time that maybe DC will take action ... a lot of people are hoping we can have some addtl $ but we don't know

Curse that uncontrollable Congress and its delicious, delicious stimulus cash. What say you, friends? Be creative: Press Secretary Todd Stacy is already finding our side of the aisle lacking this evening. 

Is the Constitutional Challenge to Health Care Reform All About Campaign Cash

by: mooncat

Wed Jan 06, 2010 at 11:46:58 AM CST

Are the dozen or so Attorneys General -- including Troy King of Alabama -- moving to challenge the sweetheart deal Ben Nelson secured for Nebraska taxpayers motivated by insurance industry money as much as righteous outrage?  Think Progress looks at some numbers:

An analysis conducted by the Wonk Room of available campaign finance disclosures for AGs from South Carolina, Washington, Michigan, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Utah and Idaho reveals that the health industry contributed heavily to their campaigns:

South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster ~ $15,000

Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna ~ $24,645

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox ~ $12,600

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem ~ $20,700

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett ~ $24,300

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff ~ $9,500

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden ~ $10,100

Troy King didn't make that list and when I checked Follow the Money, it looks like insurers weren't big backers for him in 2006, although he got a lot from the Association of Home Health Agencies and the Medical Association.  Both those groups stand to lose if health care reform passes.  However, the real interesting point here will be whether Troy reports a bunch of insurance company contributions on his 2009 disclosure forms later this month.  He's in a tough primary and obviously beating the bushes for funds, so this challenge to the Nelson deal might have been a windfall for King's campaign coffers.

AG Troy King has a voter guide for you

by: mediagadfly

Sun Jan 03, 2010 at 23:45:36 PM CST

Our esteemed Attorney General Troy King has been in the news pretty frequently recently for his investigation of Senator Ben Nelson's so-called "Nebraska compromise," but thanks to the ubiquitousness of the Google Ads system, he's turning up in some other interesting places as well.

While browsing this excellent Five Thirty-Eight post on Rasmussen Reports' polling practices, the Google Ad sidebar on the site turned up a gem of a Troy King ad. The link takes you to a screen shot I took - if you don't want to click, it helpfully instructs you to visit ALVoterGuide.com for a "voter guide" with "important information for the Attorney General Campaign."

Not surprisingly - the ad does say in the corner it's paid for by Troy King's campaign - clicking on the actual ad itself takes you to Troy King's website. Trying to visit ALVoterGuide.com? Turns up nothing at all. 

Maybe it's late, maybe it's the giddy excitement inspired in me by the Iron Chef America White House garden special, maybe I'm just easily entertained, but: really? An ad touting a voter guide that doesn't exist, using an address that points to nothing, directing people to nothing more than Troy King's front page. 

It's not my favorite Troy King ad of all time, but I was entertained that they'd left the AL Voter Guide domain name up for grabs. 

Pointing Out the Obvious

by: mooncat

Wed Dec 16, 2009 at 08:44:06 AM CST

Troy King is paid too much.

You don't even need to ask his salary to know that's true.  But in case you want the gory details ...

Yes, he's now the highest-paid attorney general in the country. Yes, his $168,000 salary is outrageous compared to AG pay in other states, some of them much larger than Alabama. Yes, it's shameful, considering the fact Alabama's median household income -- $40,596 in 2007 -- is about 80 percent of the nation's.

Troy King.  The guy with the ethics problems.  The AG with no courtroom experience.  The guy who hates sex toys thinks other people shouldn't be able to buy sex toys.  The Troy King who picked a fight with most of the district attorneys in the state.  And who happens to be the new bff of electronic bingo purveyors in Alabama.  

Troy King overpaid?  Absolutely!  And has been since the day Bob Riley appointed him.

Redeye's Blogstroll

by: Redeye

Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 20:32:55 PM CST

Uh Lou, do us a favor and take Wolf "But But" Blitzer with you.  Maybe then CNN will be the most trusted name in news again.

Support our Troops this Veterans day and everyday.  While republicans, DINO's and bluedoghograts are waiving their flags and not voting for health care reform maybe they need reminding that 2,2266 uninsured vets died in 2008.

I have a suggestion for all you Congressmen who voted in favor of the Stupak Amendment, since you are so anti choice just stop having sex with women.  That way they won't get pregnant and since you don't want them, or their children, to have access to affordable health care you can vote against health care reform with a straight face.  Seriously. 

Oh the humanity!

by: mpmarus

Fri Nov 06, 2009 at 08:57:22 AM CST

There, big as life, was an ad for Troy King!?!?!

Which begs the question: what criteria did the King campaign specify for where to place their ads? Thinking about it, I'm guessing it has to do with my internet address being from Alabama, but it was such a jarring cognitive dissonance I'm still shaking my head.

A Suggestion for Troy King:

by: mooncat

Mon Nov 02, 2009 at 08:34:22 AM CST

Re-election is anything but a sure bet for Attorney General Troy King -- it isn't even a certainty he'll win the Republican primary next June. After all, both Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby (with their deep pockets) have endorsed his opponent. Ordinarily, I wouldn't lift a finger to help King, but it seems to me the recent housing market meltdown provides an opportunity for him to do some good for folks in Alabama and get some really good publicity -- he loves publicity! -- at the same time.

Why not follow the lead of Massachusetts AG Martha Coakly and go after Goldman Sachs?  This is from last May:

In the first major settlement involving Wall Street’s role in the subprime mortgage business, the Goldman Sachs Group agreed on Monday to pay up to $60 million to end an investigation by the Massachusetts attorney general’s office into whether the firm helped promote unfair home loans in the state.

The money will be used for a loan modification program that would allow Massachusetts homeowners with mortgages from Goldman entities to write down their principal balances by as much as 50 percent.

The settlement resulted from a continuing investigation by Attorney General Martha Coakley into subprime lending practices and the role of investment banks that acted as middlemen in loans that have resulted in foreclosure or contained terms so onerous that they were destined to fail.

I confess to having done no research into whether Goldman Sachs was a player in Alabama's mortgage market, but it's worth a look, especially since foreclosures are up across the state -- 2622 homes in Birmingham just in the third quarter of 2009.  If there's a case to be made for victims of unscrupulous lending in Alabama, Troy King could garner plenty of positive publicity, just when he needs it most.  And it might not even be that hard to jump on this bandwagon because the wheels are coming off at Goldman Sachs.

Now, pension funds, insurance companies, labor unions and foreign financial institutions that bought those dicey mortgage securities are facing large losses, and a five-month McClatchy investigation has found that Goldman's failure to disclose that it made secret, exotic bets on an imminent housing crash may have violated securities laws.

You have here all the essential elements of a successful re-election bid:  Thousands of people hurting financially and about to lose their homes, a big corporation that has already settled out of court for millions with another state, and an AG who knows how to play to the public.  It could be a win-win -- except for the outside chance we'd end up with 4 more years of Troy King as the state's top cop.

While State Government Debates, Communities Cry BINGO

by: julie

Tue Oct 06, 2009 at 11:27:32 AM CDT

Local governments see bingo as a way to raise revenue and create jobs in a time when both are needed and in short supply. Bingo is already big business in several Alabama counties, and the number one employer in Macon County. Whether you agree with bingo or not, the financial and economic development pressure will have more and more counties and cities looking to establish or expand gaming.

It's an informative article; Rep. Martin seems to be au courant with who in Alabama has plans, or is trying to have them.  He also mentions the Riley-King rivalry, which is helping to stall progress on the issue in Montgomery.

Weekend Odds and Ends and Open Thread

by: mooncat

Sat Sep 19, 2009 at 10:17:08 AM CDT

PROGRESS! In 29 states, Medicaid is working to keep elderly people living at home, not in a nursing home.

To the former publisher of the Mobile Press-Register, now suing the paper:  Folks with labor unions to negotiate contracts for workers don't have to depend on those vague "pledges" from employers.  

Who is Cathy Maples and why would she (or anyone?) pay $63,500 for dinner with Sarah Palin?  Granted, the money goes to a good cause, but this woman likes Palin and wants to see her as president.  Apparently Cathy Maples makes a lot of money as an 8(a) federal defense contractor and gives money (but not a lot) to Republicans.  Misguided, at best ...

Troy King: Will go to the ends of the Earth -- or at least the other side of the planet -- for an opportunity to seek the  death penalty. 

White conservatives say it's their turn for empowerment. Just like spoiled kids; they gave up that toy for like 2 seconds, now it's their turn for another thousand years. 

Luther Strange Releases His C&W Campaign Song - With A Slap At "Troy Boy" King

by: countrycat

Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 14:16:36 PM CDT

Wasn't it just a few days ago when we were wondering if the Republicans running for Alabama governor were ever going to start mixing it up?

Still waiting for that show to begin, but the Attorney General race has at least a little bit of heat.  Luther Strange released his own Country and Western campaign song (with some really nice picking by the musicians).

Why bother to publicize it at LIA?  Mainly for the entertaining little slap at our current Attorney General, Troy King, who's been in the news the last year or so with a very public battle with Governor Riley over gambling and an investigation by the US Attorney's office.

As Strange's song notes:

"We now have a guy named Troy.  He's been acting like a boy. Thinks he is a king."

btw... can Strange possibly be 6 feet 9 inches tall?  Holy Goliath lookalike, Batman!

h/t to Goat Hill News

Attorney General - Tyson is Out

by: mooncat

Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 13:14:10 PM CDT

Mobile County DA John Tyson, Jr. will not run for Attorney General in 2010.  I thought Tyson vs. Troy King was the most heartbreaking race lost by a Democrat in 2006 -- a) it was close -- about 53% to 47% -- and b) Tyson was SO much more qualified than Troy King.

Who else is likely to run on the Democratic side?   

Tough Times for Troy King

by: mooncat

Wed May 13, 2009 at 13:20:49 PM CDT

First the confirmation that more documents and employees from the AG's office have been subpoenaed by federal prosecutors.

Federal prosecutors want to talk to some of Attorney General Troy King’s employees, and the feds also have issued subpoenas for office records, King’s office confirmed on Tuesday.
King spokesman Chris Bence said subpoenas for records and employee appearances were received in late April.
"Employees who were subpoenaed are involved in the day-to-day handling and processing of documents and communications that were requested in the subpoena," Bence said.
...
Bence said he has not seen subpoenas, but their existence is known because employees were told to inform supervisors if they received one.

Speculation is the federal investigation has something to do with gambling -- you may recall Troy King has been reluctant to take on gambling prosecutions and then there was the soiree thrown by the Country Crossing backers.

As if having federal prosecutors sniffing through the files and talking to unhappy subordinates isn't enough, as of today King has serious Republican opposition in his dream of a 2nd elected term as Attorney General.  Luther Strange has a history of raising gobs of campaign cash.  Of course, if King stays on the good side of the gambling interests, and stays out of court, he can probably match that money.  Should be interesting.  

Troy King vs. The Swine Flu

by: Loretta Nall

Sun May 03, 2009 at 13:01:57 PM CDT

Another BRILLIANT toon from our favorite editorial cartoonist J.D. Crowe Please visit his site and leave your comments.

Riley-King Gambling Rift Moves Into the Open

by: mooncat

Thu Apr 16, 2009 at 00:13:46 AM CDT

Attorney General Troy King says Governor overstepped authority, Riley says they just disagree.  It's about gambling, of course, and the Illegal Gambling Task Force the governor created to take on gambling establishments the Attorney General had no interest in.

“I have watched the governor’s perceived authority grow, and I had hoped that it would not come to this. While I take no pride in confronting my friend the governor, the constitutional issue of separation of power and the systems of checks and balances is much larger than us,“ King said in a statement Tuesday.

Officially, the argument is over how much authority the governor has over the workings of the state AG's office.

King wants to convince the supreme court that the governor has no authority to make the head of his task force, David Barber, an assistant attorney general. King says only he has the power to do that.

Governor Riley's office responded saying, "If the attorney general doesn't enforce the law, then who will if not the governor?"

This rift in the Republican heirarchy is definitely worth watching.  Troy King was not particularly well known or well thought of by anyone except Bob Riley when Riley appointed him as Attorney General, which argues for a certain closeness and agreement between Riley and King back in 2004.  The gambling issue appears to be acting as a wedge between them and I wonder if it has the potential to act as a wedge issue within the larger Republican party.

On the one side you have Riley who opposes just about all gambling -- which may or may not have something to do with the Mississippi Choctaw money that came to Alabama for the 2002 election.  On the other side you have King who is not that hostile to the expansion of gambling in the state and has little interest in shutting down electronic bingo establishments -- which may or may not be related to potential campaign donations from gaming interests within Alabama.

This intra-party feud bears watching in hopes it might grow and spread to the lower levels of the Alabama Republican Party.  We used to be a one-party state -- the Democratic Party -- and Democrats have always had a good deal of internal conflict.  However, as newcomers the Republicans have tended to stick together through thick and thin, but that monolithic phase of political development may be nearing an end.

Troy King To Seek Re-Election to AG in 2010

by: mooncat

Thu Mar 12, 2009 at 21:26:07 PM CDT

Well, we might have Troy King to kick around for 4 more years -- he's running for re-election again the first time*.  If you don't know much about Troy, let me recommend some light reading for you:

Trouble in Troy's Kingdom

 and

Trouble in Troy's Kingdom Part II 

* King was appointed to AG in 2004, then elected in 2006 for the first time. 

Troy King Under Federal Investigation

by: mooncat

Tue Mar 10, 2009 at 07:39:11 AM CDT

The Feds are snooping around in Alabama Attorney General Troy King's business.

Prosecutors last week called at least six former employees of King's office - including three former investigators - before a federal grand jury that met over three days in Montgomery.

Sources familiar with the probe said prosecutors asked a number of questions, including about investigations and their possible connection to King allies.

King has not been accused of any crime.

King's chief of staff, Chris Bence, described King as "shocked" at the news of an investigation involving his office. 

I'm shocked.  Shocked, I say!  Not at the idea there might be something worth investigating in King's office but that it took so long for someone to get around to investigating him.  The investigation touches on gambling but no word yet on whether it will look also into personnel practices in the AG's office.

And yes, U.S. Attorney Alice Martin is in charge of the investigation, personally sitting in on the grand jury sessions.  How long until someone cries political prosecution because Martin is involved?

KILL HB436

by: Loretta Nall

Mon Feb 09, 2009 at 08:09:36 AM CST