Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Rileys Feeling the Heat

Governor Bob Riley and his son Rob Riley (who is at the heart of Jill Simpson's Congressional testimony regarding the Don Siegelman prosecution) seem to be feeling heat from a lawsuit filed by a Montgomery insurance executive.

The Montgomery Advertiser reports that Rob Riley claims attorney Thomas T. Gallion III threatened the Riley administration. Gallion is suing the governor on behalf of insurance executive John W. Goff.

Francis X. Gilpin reports that Goff, a former Riley supporter, accuses the governor and others named in the suit of conspiring to drive him out of the worker's compensation insurance business. He claims the action came in retaliation for his reporting an alleged shakedown attempt to the state insurance commissioner.

And what language did Gallion use that so upset Rob Riley? Riley Jr. told Gilpin that Gallion had said "this is war" in relation to the lawsuit.

And that hurt little Robby's feelings? Good grief. Lawyers say stuff like that all the time don't they? And heck, you sue somebody, it's not fun and games; it is war. Take it from someone who has been sued for fraudulent reasons.

If little Robby is so sensitive, if big old mean Mr. Gallion hurts his feelings so much, I would suggest that little Robby take his Yale degree and go into another line of work.

We recently posted about the Goff lawsuit and the consternation it seems to be causing in the Riley camp. Of particular concern is the possibility that discovery could lead to information about Mississippi Choctaw gambling money and its tendency to find its way into the Riley campaign through disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Gee, hope Gallion doesn't hurt Robby's feelings during the discovery process.

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