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| Luther Strange |
Based on a newspaper account of Strange's speech before an economic-development conference last week at Point Clear, the AG's parents might not have done as good a job as he thinks in the truth-telling department. That's because Strange's own words show he can't even be honest with himself.
Consider Strange's statements at the Economic Development Association of Alabama's summer conference in Point Clear. The subject of electronic bingo came up, which is not a surprise considering Strange's long-running crusade against VictoryLand, Center Stage, and other non-Indian gaming facilities in Alabama. Here is how al.com's Michael Tomberlin reported Strange's comments, from a section of the article that was available only in the print edition:
When asked why Indian casinos seem to operate with impunity, Strange said technically they fall outside his jurisdiction.
"Indian tribes are in a different category because they are a sovereign territory," he said, but added that it is his duty to ensure the law is applied evenly throughout the state.
Why did Strange file a lawsuit seeking to shut down Poarch Creek casinos when he admits that he has no authority over the tribal facilities? Actually, the Point Clear speech was not the first time Strange has admitted the Poarch Creek lawsuit is bogus. We addressed that in a March 25, 2013, post titled "Recent Letter Shows That Even AG Luther Strange Knows His Lawsuit Against Poarch Creeks Is A Sham." From that post:
According to a new report from Bob Martin of the Montgomery Independent, Strange wrote to lawyers for VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor just before raiding and closing the facility last month. Here, in part, is what Strange said:
"You likely are aware of the situation with regard to Class 2 gambling on Indian land. Federal law governs those facilities, and I do not have jurisdiction to enforce federal or state laws against them."
So now, we have Strange admitting twice that he has no grounds for the lawsuit against the Poarch Creeks, but he is using taxpayer dollars to pursue it anyway. Lawyers are subject to sanctions if they bring legal actions that they know are without merit.
A public official who takes unlawful actions because money or favors are being exchanged back stage--wasting tax dollars in the process--is subject to criminal prosecution. Luther Strange's actions are emitting the foul odor of bribery, conspiracy, mail/wire fraud, honest services fraud, and perhaps other federal crimes.
The situation with Luther Strange becomes even more alarming when you realize his unlawful actions are not limited to the Poarch Creeks. Any first-year law student should know that electronic bingo is legal under the Alabama Constitution in Macon and Houston counties, and the Constitution trumps state statute, meaning Strange's raids there are not supported by law.
So we have an attorney general filing a sham lawsuit against the Poarch Creek tribe and conducting illegal raids against VictoryLand and Center Stage. A semi-serious investigation probably would show Luther Strange has an improper motive for taking these actions, and
that would point to criminal activity.
Many Alabamians of good will disagree on the merits of gambling in our state--and many others don't care much, one way or another. But the fact that our chief law-enforcement officer might himself be a criminal . . . well, that should be a concern to all of us.
36 comments:
Some serious rumbling that Luther and his old buds at Bradley Arant did some rather questionable (read: BRIBES) manuevering to get that Victoryland search warrant, and the FBI is investigating.
When's Luther going to answer questions about his affair with Jessica M. Garrison? That's why he wanted no part of Rickey Stokes. He's was afraid that subject would come up.
Very interesting, @6:40. I wonder if the questionable maneuvering involved the Alabama Supreme Court. After all, they were the ones who ultimately caused the search warrant to be granted.
Part of Luther's problem at Point Clear is that he went off his scripted speech and took questions from the audience. He's not smart enough to handle unscripted situations without making goofs like this one.
LS - the actions of the Al Supreme Court and their motivations at the time of the "Strange" Victoryland warrant ARE at the heart of the rumored investigation.
Typical al.com. Luther's flub on e-bingo was the most newsworthy thing he said, and they stuck it near the end of the article. As you state, LS, it isn't even included in the Web version of the story, so it won't be out there for future Google searches. The al.com reporter and/or his editor are trying to protect the big dummy who holds our AG office.
Do we need to changed your one sentence: "Lawyers are subject to sanctions if they bring legal actions that they know are without merit." to
"Lawyers outside the Riley cloud are subject to sanctions if they bring legal actions that they know are without merit."?
DM
Good points, Sandra. I didn't even see the quote originally because I no longer get the print version of the Bham News. (Why get a "daily" paper that comes out three days a week?) An alert reader, who did see the print version, called it to my attention. You make a good point about Google searches. Hopefully, folks who search on this topic will find what they need at Legal Schnauzer and associated sites, whether al.com has it or not.
If Luther is using our tax dollars to bring a lawsuit that he admits is not grounded in the law, isn't that misuse of public funds? Isn't that essentially theft from taxpayers to further his bizarre political agenda? Isn't that a crime?
Anon at 9:13--
I don't think there is any question criminal activity is involved here, and I think it is federal in nature. The problem is finding someone in the U.S. DOJ who has the guts to enforce the law. The pathetic state of the DOJ throughout his term will go down as Obama's great shame.
Hah, hah, DM. You nailed it, brother!
Hell, Joyce Vance last Friday announced an indictment of former JCCEO director on theft charges. That woman (Cunningham?) may or may not be a crook, but why don't Luther's actions constitute theft, if hers do?
Good point, @9:23. Based on what we know at the moment, I'm not sure Luther's actions would fall under a theft statute. That usually involves using the funds for personal use. Not sure he's doing that, although he might be if all of this is being directed by his tribal financial backers. This would require investigation to determine what criminal statute does apply. To me, at the moment, it looks like some sort of fraud, but it's hard to say without an investigation.
LS, so glad you are using the "C word" (crime) with Big Luther. It fits on him like a scarlet letter.
Check out Alabama Political Reporter for story on Big Luther and his role in getting a man who spent all his money on defending himself against a charge of murder. The "murder" victim was later ruled a suicide. That didn't satisfy some of Luther's friends so they got Luther to charge him with "lying" on an indigent request form which the man admitted to making an error. That man was convicted of lying and is currently serving 12 years. Luther and the Rileybots are just plain evil.
Trial on Centerstage bingo in Houston County if currently underway and being reported on at Rickey Stokes website with live updates.
The AG received $100,000 from the Poarch Creeks which has been documented. That law suit was a scam and done with "a wink and a nod".
If Luther Strange is using public money to further the interests of a private law firm he had a partnership in (and possibly has a future stake in) and THAT law firm has made some questionable promises and/or contributions to judges(Read: justices) that are handling the issues pertinent to Luther and his former firm . . .that's illegal. And very possibly under Federal investigation.
Great comment, @9:57. What role is Bradley Arant playing in this anyway? All of the documents I've seen in the VictoryLand case have been filed by Luther's staff attorneys. What is BABC's role? Is it to provide and arrange bribes?
I agree, @9:53. Everyone knew from the get-go that the Poarch Creek lawsuit was a sham. It was designed to make it appear that Luther was NOT in the pocket of tribal gaming interests. In fact, he IS in the pocket of tribal gaming interests.
Hey Luther, I'm praying for you . . . praying for you to get your big, ugly ass thrown in the federal pen, where it belongs.
LS, you recently reported that Matt Lambke and Mike Pennington were two BABC lawyers involved in bingo work. I'm betting they were involved in any bribery scheme.
If bribery is proven, it didn't start with Luther Strange. The Alabama Supreme Court probably was bribed back during the Riley administration, when Bingo Bob started this crusade. The Supremes sided with Riley at every turn, often contrary to their own precedent. And Bradley Arant was involved then, too.
Any ideas who would be leading a bribery investigation in Montgomery? I can't imagine that George Beck would do it.
TLR, that's my question, too. I have little doubt that illegal activity is going on (bribery, kickbacks, fraud), but who in the DOJ has the moral wherewithal, and the guts, to do anything about it--when it involves white Republicans.
When I heard about the federal indictment coming last Friday, my first thought was: "I wonder what black person they nailed this time?"
Even with all the sleaze surrounding Luther Strange and Mike Hubbard and the Rileys, I knew it could not involve them. And I was right. They went after another little fish with dark skin, Gayle Cunningham.
I hear that Mrs. Luther Strange now is very much aware of the Jessica Garrison affair. And I further hear that Mrs. S was unaware of it until recently. That makes me think your reporting helped bring it to her attention. More evidence that the Schnauzer has reach. Go get 'em!
Is it possible that the MS Choctaws and Poarch Creeks provided the funds for bribes? I think you can bet on it.
LS, you've been writing for months about the Sherry Rollins divorce case, and how her ex got an unbelievably good deal in Shelby County because his corporate law firm is Bradley Arant. That suggests bribes were present in that case. If so, perhaps Bradley Arant has been conducting bribery campaigns for quite a while. Maybe it's nothing new for them.
Some news will be breaking this week about Bradley Arant, some political money for AL Supreme Court justices, and timing very very close to a search warrant being issued.
Anyone notice that the ONLY SC justice up for election this year - Greg Shaw - was also the ONLY SC justice not present for the Victoryland search warrant overrule? What a coincedence!
BABC present AND past attorneys should only have one job in the future and that's picking up garbage on the side of the road in a chain gang with Lerch at the end of the line! This firm gets taken down and many of the problems Alabamians are facing, take that back, essentially ALL of the problems Alabamians are facing will begin to be solved! They are at the heart of all court corruption in the state! Stealing folks blind and implanting their criminals in all agencies! Go get em LS! Long overdue!
luther strange, the Alabama
attorney general's offices are
complicit in covering up,liken to
chain like conspiracies, involving
the murder of a fellow black law
enforcement narcotics investigator.
he, they shor ain't goin to stoney
lonesome for political
adultery/bribery
maybe that al.com reporter should
raise questions concerning this,
and go to press with answers.
LS, go back and find the Bob Martin piece where Bob Riley went in trip ti Washington, D and made ex parte phone calls in the evening to 2 members of Al Supreme Court just before they ruled on matter related to raid of bingo hall to White Hall.
If Bingo Bob made such calls, did Stangely Luther also make then before the SC ruled so strangely on the Center Stage case?
NSA spies on everyone and the FBI bust child pedophile rings that aren't the 'elite' criminally insane that run the operations, all, spying and child trafficking.
BINGO is also controlled by the 'elites' as well as the hidden military ready to FEMA us all, in Las Vegas Nevada and Texas with illegal search & seizure 'points'.
Bush Crime Family and ITS' agents are controlling the USA.
The countdown is into the single digits, double numbers were run out in too many wars.
Now another war or the USA?
Look at Israel for a nuke and Springfield ILL is on the "Simpson Cartoon" as always, the funny children TV show shows US.
DATES: Aug 29, Sept 6, Sept 17, and then until December 23, 2013
However, until the cabal of pedophiles are stopped - only the caller in the house holler game is all 'over' when martial law plays for keeps.
AQAP might well decide not to participate in this worldwide "pre-9/11" script. Real jihadis, after all, are not foolish enough to be caught by XKeystroke. So here's a Dylanesque riddle for you. All along the watchtower, a false flag is approaching - said the joker to the thief. There's too much Terra confusion, and we won't get no relief.
Pepe Escobar is the author of Globalistan: How the Globalized World is Dissolving into Liquid War (Nimble Books, 2007) and Red Zone Blues: a snapshot of Baghdad during the surge. He has also written Obama does Globalistan (Nimble Books, 2009)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-050813.html
All I can say is if Luther's wife didn't know about the affair she is as dumb as a rock. Although is is an experienced liar.
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