Thursday, August 22, 2013

Ex Aide To Luther Strange Has Business Connections To Man Indicted In Panama Gambling Investigation


Jessica Garrison and Luther Strange
The former campaign manager for Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, and her ex husband, have a business relationship with a man who was indicted in an investigation of a sports-betting ring in Panama.

Jessica Medeiros Garrison and her former husband, Tuscaloosa city councilman Lee Garrison, are partners with Erik Davis Harp in Margaritaville, LLC. Records from the Alabama Secretary of State's office show the company was formed in 2004 and is engaged in the business of real estate. The firm has a registered office street address of 1201 Greensboro, Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL, 35401.


Harp was among 30 people indicted in October 2009 in connection with what one press outlet called "a gambling ring with ties to organized crime." Harp was 36 years old at the time of the indictment, and his address was listed as Las Vegas, Nevada. But his roots are in Tuscaloosa, and he apparently met the Garrisons while all three attended the University of Alabama. (A number of press reports about the gambling probe misspell Harp's first name as "Eric".)


Jessica Garrison has engaged in a long-running extramarital affair with Luther Strange and guided his 2010 campaign to victory on a staunch anti-gambling platform. Since his election, Strange has authorized raids that shut down electronic-bingo facilities at VictoryLand in Macon County and Center Stage Alabama in Houston County.


Lee Garrison has served on the Tuscaloosa City Council since 1997 but is giving up that seat to run for chair of the Tuscaloosa City School Board in the August 27 municipal elections.  


We are not aware of Lee Garrison taking a public stance on gambling one way or another. But Jessica Garrison has been a vocal critic of gambling, aggressively attacking former Attorney General Troy King on the issue. That makes her connections to Erik Davis Harp particularly surprising--and some might say outlandishly hypocritical.


Was Harp involved in a small-time illegal gambling operation? Not exactly. Authorities in Queens, New York, led a 38-month investigation called "Operation Betting It All" and found the ring generated $20 million a month.


Was Harp a small-time player in the operation? The answer, again, is no. Authorities say he and Joseph J. Fafone, of Farmington, New York, oversaw the entire operation. From an October 22, 2009, report at MPNnow.com, of Canandaigua, New York:



Joseph J. Fafone, 48, of Pheasants Crossing in Farmington, was apprehended Tuesday at Rochester International Airport. Fafone, who officials say was bound for Panama, had roughly $24,000 in cash with him when he was arrested, according to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
The defendants are charged with enterprise corruption — a violation of the state’s Organized Crime Control Act — as well as money laundering, promoting gambling and conspiracy.
Authorities say a sports gambling operation took in more than $20 million per month, which was "diverted to more insidious criminal enterprises" linked to both the Gambino and Genovese crime families.

The story never mentions an Alabama connection. But it is there, with Erik Davis Harp's name front and center:


The 38-month investigation was known as “Operation Betting It All.” The alleged sports gambling ring operated on Web sites including BetAllSportsHere.com, BetMSG.com and BetOnline.com. While the ring was run in New York City, the Web sites' computer servers were based in Panama.
Fafone and Eric Davis Harp, 36, of Las Vegas allegedly oversaw the entire operation, Brown said.
Louis P. Lippa Jr., 61, of Great Wood Court in Fairport, and David Valerio, 61, of Meriden Street in Rochester, are two of nine alleged money collectors for the ring.
Of the others charged, 17 were arrested in Queens, and nine were arrested in upstate New York, Florida, Nevada and Illinois. Three others are currently being sought. More than $3 million in cash has been seized.

How serious is this matter? A law-enforcement official in New York provides perspective:


"Gambling proceeds [are] the fuel that drives organized crime," said New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. "The staggering amount of money in this case demonstrates just that. In this instance, however, the bookies ran out of luck."

Here is additional perspective that hits close to home for those of us who live in Alabama. Erik Davis Harp is from Tuscaloosa, and he was a kingpin in an illegal gambling operation that generated $20 million a month. Harp has a documented business history with Jessica Medieros Garrison, who helped Luther Strange get elected as Alabama's chief law-enforcement officer on a staunch anti-gambling platform. Strange has acted on his supposed convictions by causing two electronic-bingo facilities to be closed.

The bottom line? A clear path can be drawn from Erik Davis Harp to Jessica Garrison (and Lee Garrison) to Luther Strange. That should raise questions about Lee Garrison's suitability for a spot on the Tuscaloosa School Board. And it should raise extremely serious questions about Luther Strange, Jessica Garrison, and their close associates . . . who have ridden to power on claims that they are morally opposed to gambling.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

God, I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Jessica has ties to a man involved with illegal gambling and organized crime? To quote a great Alabamian . . . "Goooollleeee!"

Anonymous said...

Roll Tribe!!!

Anonymous said...

The Harp family is well known in Tuscaloosa. The father was a doctor.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't Robert Sigler's father a doctor in Tuscaloosa as well? I ask because of Crimsonica.

Anonymous said...

Revolutionary LS

When the seer can visually photographic memory the past and write about the truth in what many saw too, confirming the 'reality' and the present gets the whole composition exposed in the technology of 'modern', well.

A revolutionary act is awakening the masses of an oppressed society into the need for serious change.

Corruption in the USA is due to, private (mostly old European families) fake bankers' selling debt to Americans with insane usury interest.

This monopolizing of the US 'money' by these 'families' also purchase what is called 'governments' and this is a global operation for eons.

Time to hear the genuises and get ourselves out of this hole, LS is one of our Human Saviors, the human being is in danger of extinction. ITS' Roves, GOPers, and the Pedophile Cult running Treasury, IRS, Federal Gov, gotta institutionalize the sickos.

Paying the psychopaths and sociopaths to act like families with real values of 'civilized'.

Who pays these criminals to destroy any idea of intelligent?

Why do people put up with this and worse, vote the human filth into positions of power to give the ideologies of more human filth to future generations.

The fiat money has provided a certain faction with the deadly ability to kill US in our idea of liberty and justice.

And fiat money as the shadow only choice isn't but fraud, too.

Alabama 'rich' and the 'leaders in government' are suffering from the delusion that reality was-is a monopoly of unreality.

LS get the whole community very deeply involved in this, now, you've been the true revolutionary seer and deserve to not be the/a target for any of the slimy fiat failure monopolized institutionalized fraud.

Committees? Coalition? Alabama people now awake to understand the fiat money isn't GOD and best get a true grip on reality, get rid of the parasitic shadow gov.

A coalition firing squad, write letters that literally drive these fraudsters and the fiat units that give them the fraudulent powers -- into the place where they belong:

jail.

Or they resign immediately and never to be reconsidered, any and all positions of 'public' capacity.

MURPH'S LAW, it's not hypocritical!

Anonymous said...

This ring generated $20 million a month? Help me, Sweet Jesus!

Anonymous said...

As a former SGA president, Jessica must have a ton of college friends. But she winds up doing business with one who has ties to organized crime? What are the odds?

Anonymous said...

geniuses :-)

Anonymous said...

Any chance some of this sports-betting cash made its way from Erik Davis Harp, to Jessica Garrison, to Big Luther's campaign war chest?

Anonymous said...

Anyone familiar with The Machine politics of Tuscaloosa will not be surprised by this.

Anonymous said...

Bill Baxley is not going to like this one bit, LS.

Anonymous said...

Sounds familiar to the James THE BOOKIE Jimmy Mauldin Racketeering and Bank Fraud case out Panama City, FL and Gulfport, MS with a Panamanian flagged ship involved with Eastern Marine Brian D'Isernia.

Anonymous said...

NOTEWORTHY!
1997 Dothan, Alabama FBI's gambling raids involving multi-states HIGH STAKES sports betting.

Isn't Bill Baxley from there? Did he represent any of the numerous defendants? Why was media silenced

after initial raid until court date almost two years later< AND THEN LIMITED? Who is covering up

for the unknown unindicted co-conspirators? Here again strange opens door for more baggage out of Dothan, Houston County.

Anonymous said...

wbwilliams@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

"The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority". Will Durant."

"Political Correctness doesn't change us, it shuts us up". Glen Beck.

Anonymous said...

"The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority". Will Durant."

"Political Correctness doesn't change us, it shuts us up". Glen Beck.

Anonymous said...

wbwilliams@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

Bill O'Reilly, "The Factor" FNC; has announced several times that he will be visiting Montgomery, Alabama to speak at Faulkner College. Riley, an independent, gives all appearances of being a non-biased political commentator.
This is a good chance for Murph to contact his office in advance attempting to advise of situations, requesting his interview for the record, Reilly closes every show with saying "we're looking out for you", but he can't, if don't know whatfor.

Murph on "The Factor" with an international audience; whoaaaaaa nellyyyy.

Anonymous said...

Just some more of their hypocrisy.How much of the illegal gambling, organized crime money did the Garrisons receive you think? How can these people that are involved in so much crap escape smelling like a rose? It's disgusting.

Anonymous said...

http://warisacrime.org/sites/afterdowningstreet.org/files/Certification%20of%20Scope%20of%20Employment.pdf

Beck and O'Reilly need to cover the lawsuit against the Project for a New American Century, and the bosses of that project:

The “Westfall Act certification,” submitted pursuant to the Westfall Act of 1988, permits the Attorney General, at his or her discretion, to substitute the United States as the defendant and essentially grant absolute immunity to government employees for actions taken within the scope of their employment.

In her lawsuit, Saleh alleges that:

– Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz began planning the Iraq War in 1998 through their involvement with the “Project for the New American Century,” a Washington DC non-profit that advocated for the military overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

– Once they came to power, Saleh alleges that Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz convinced other Bush officials to invade Iraq by using 9/11 as an excuse to mislead and scare the American public into supporting a war.

– Finally, she claims that the United States failed to obtain United Nations approval prior to the invasion, rendering the invasion illegal and an act of impermissible aggression.

“The good news is that while we were disappointed with the certification, we were prepared for it,” Comar stated. “We do not see how a Westfall Act certification is appropriate given that Ms. Saleh alleges that the conduct at issue began prior to these defendants even entering into office. I think the Nuremberg prosecutors, particularly American Chief Prosecutor Robert Jackson, would be surprised to learn that planning a war of aggression at a private non-profit, misleading a fearful public, and foregoing proper legal authorization somehow constitute lawful employment duties for the American president and his or her cabinet.”

The case is Saleh v. Bush (N.D. Cal. Mar. 13, 2013, No. C 13 1124 JST).

See the attached certification, publicly filed on ECF / PACER system.

For further information contact:


COMAR LAW

901 Mission Street, Suite 105
San Francisco, California 94103

http://www.globalresearch.ca/obama-doj-asks-court-to-grant-immunity-to-george-w-bush-for-iraq-war/5346637

The SUPREME COURT broke the law and therefore, the SUPREMES may find themselves in the ICC, too, should this unlawful band of criminals continue to sell the USA to the families that pay the criminals digits to destroy earth.

Humanity is in serious peril due to the Pedophile Cult that runs the USA, Israel, Saudi Arabia and much of Europe.

Ugly is the face of secrecy and the 9-1-1 cover-up is going to be uncovered and LS is absolutely on the right side of this revolution!

Anonymous said...

In 1997 Erik Davis Harp and Maudie B. Harp incorporated a business named Harp Industries, Inc. (Alabama Entity ID No. 187 - 291), the stated purpose of which is "operate vending machines." The 1997 reporting address was 120 15th St. E, variously suites 707 and 922. Google maps indicates that this is an apartment complex; I believe it's the one behind Wendy's. By 1998, the reporting address was 3042 GREEN VALLEY RD
BIRMINGHAM, AL 35401-3677. The records of the Florida Secretary of State indicate that Harp Industries (FEIN/EIN 721371434) was filed in Florida on 6/11/97 as a foreign corporation - headquarters listed as the above address in Tuscaloosa and with an additional address in Panama City for Maudie Harp. Florida records indicate the corporation was "revoked for annual report" 10/16/98. Money laundering is often done with vending machine businesses. Just saying.

Anonymous said...

A lawyer boarded an airplane in New Orleans with a box of frozen crabs and asked a blonde stewardess to take care of them for him.

She took the box and promised to put it in the crew's refrigerator. He advised her that he was holding her personally responsible for them staying frozen, mentioning in a very haughty manner that he was a lawyer, and proceeded to rant at her about what would happen if she let them thaw out.

Needless to say, she was annoyed by his behavior. Shortly before landing in New York, she used the intercom to announce to the entire cabin, "Would the lawyer who gave me the crabs in New Orleans, please raise your hand."

Not one hand went up...so she took them home and ate them.
Bob Dittrick.

Unknown said...

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/columns/greg-palast

THE LINK PROVIDED gives US the journalism that is hand in glove with LS, and how far do we go in END GAME?

Anonymous said...

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/08/21/roseanne-barr-mk-ultra-rules-in-hollywood/

HOLLY WOOD where the wizards and other 'magicians' got their wands, and what a story about how we get the weird government the movies make

e.a.f. said...

$20M a month! Now that is a nice business, if you can get away with it. To bad they didn't get to tax it.

Jessica might want to find someother friends. When you lie down with dogs, you get fleas.

Loved the lawyer/crab joke!

Jeffrey said...

But now what did the lawyers in panama do about this?

Anonymous said...

Joe Fafone is my uncle. So for people running there mouth might Wana know the whole facts first. Fuckin ass holes

legalschnauzer said...

Feel free to share the facts as you know them with our readers, @1:34. Better yet, you are welcome to contact me via private e-mail at rshuler3156@gmail.com, and I would be glad to set up a time to talk via phone. I especially would like to know what became of Alabama native Erik Davis Harp and how he became involved in this. I also would like to know if any other individuals or entities from Alabama were involved. If Joe Fafone is willing to talk to me, we can arrange that.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how that Margaritaville LLC went over with Jimmy Buffett.