Bentley to assign gambling task force to new AG

Gov.-elect Robert Bentley announced in a statement sent out Wednesday by incoming Attorney General Luther Strange that he would assign the work of the Governor's Task Force on Illegal Gambling to Strange when they both take office on Jan. 17.
"By assigning all pending cases and investigative authority to the Attorney General's office, I have transferred the primary responsibility for ensuring that Alabama's gambling laws are enforced statewide to Attorney General-Elect Luther Strange," Bentley said. "I will fully support Attorney General Luther Strange in his efforts to enforce the laws of Alabama, including laws against illegal gambling. Attorney General Strange will follow the law on gambling and he will have my full support."
Strange vowed not to back down from enforcing the state's gaming laws.
The task force has been controversial under Gov. Bob Riley, who created the force that answered to him after disagreements with current Attorney General Troy King over the interpretation and enforcement of gaming laws in Alabama.
The task force, led first by former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber and now by Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson, raided or attempted to raid several gaming establishments in the state including VictoryLand in Shorter and Country Crossing near Dothan.
The task force, with the help of local law enforcement, has shut down all electronic gaming in the state at casinos not operated by the Poarch Band of Creeks Indians, which have facilities in Montgomery, Wetumpka and Atmore.
Strange and Bentley, in their joint statement, said the casinos that are currently closed because of the threat of a raid by the task force should not mistake the announcement as an invitation to reopen. The announcement, they said, means that the attorney general will be the statewide officer with the "primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting those that own, operate or house illegal gambling machines."
Some proponents of electronic gaming have accused Riley of killing jobs at casinos that have been open for years during tough economic times.
He said he is simply enforcing the law.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Rallying for Jobs and Justice

Elected officials and activists angry about the crackdown on electronic bingo in the state have organized a Saturday rally with notable entertainment to register people to vote and encourage them to be active in the November election.
Musicians John Anderson and The Commodores will highlight a Saturday rally that is intended to draw people to the State House and Capitol to register them to vote.
Democratic state Sens. Quinton Ross of Montgomery and Bobby Singleton of Greensboro were among those who offered for people to come to Montgomery on Saturday for the free entertainment.
They are part of the 2010 Campaign for Jobs and Justice Committee.
The event begins at 3 p.m. behind the State Judicial Building on Washington Avenue and ends at the State House at Union Street. The participants will march from the judicial building, where the Alabama Supreme Court meets, to the State House, where lawmakers have been unable in recent years to pass legislation related to gaming.
The organizers are critical of Gov. Bob Riley and the Alabama Supreme Court.
Riley believes, with the supreme court siding with him on most major issues, that the machines used to play electronic bingo are slot machines that are illegal in the state and formed his Task Force on Illegal Gambling to shut down the non-Indian gaming facilities in the state, which are under federal control.
The task force raided Greenetrack in west Alabama and the White Hall Entertainment Center in Lowndes County.
Operators of VictoryLand in Shorter and Country Crossing near Dothan shut down because of the threat of a raid.
Riley has said he is enforcing the law.
Operators and employees at those facilities and many Democratic lawmakers have accused Riley of killing thousands of jobs in a slow economy.
"It's clear that casino operators are attempting to sign up as many Democrats as they can to go out and vote in November," said Todd Stacy, press secretary for Riley. "They're hoping that if they can just get more Democrats elected, maybe the Legislature will finally legalize their casino empire so they can make millions off the backs of Alabamians."
Stacy said the evidence that casinos are a drain on local and state economies is irrefutable.
"They squeeze money out of communities and send it to out-of-state gambling bosses," he said. "Places that have legalized casino gambling have paid a high price. They've paid an economic price, losing jobs and exporting billions of dollars from local economies. They've paid a social price, seeing crime rates skyrocket. They've paid a political price, too, as powerful organized gambling bosses have taken a stranglehold on governments. Governor Riley doesn't want to see any of that happen in Alabama."
Val Goodson, chairperson of the Campaign for Jobs and Justice and an out-of-work employee from Greenetrack, said raids have forced thousands of hard-working people out of jobs they had for years.
Goodson, Singleton and Ross believe that Riley and his task force have stomped on the rights of voters, particularly in Macon and Greene counties, that approved local constitutional amendments to allow bingo.
"We have been forced to fight to the ballot box," Goodson said.
Riley and his attorneys argue, and the state's high court has ruled, that those amendments allow the "ordinary game of bingo" -- not slots.
Along with encouraging people to register to vote, Goodson said there are 400,000 people who voted in the 2008 presidential election that have yet to return to the polls. She hopes for record voter turnout in November.
Those at the Thursday press conference at the State House announcing the rally said they were not there to support any particular candidate.
When asked who was paying for the rally and how much it cost, Singleton and Goodson said they did not know.
Singleton said those involved in organizing include the Alabama Democratic Conference, the Alabama New South Coalition, the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, and displaced workers from those facilities.
The senator, who was willingly arrested during the raid of Greenetrack, said the purpose is to register voters and not to raise funds to try to elect candidates who support their cause.
"It's not a Democratic or Republican issue," said Pam Breedlove of Elmore County, one of the committee members who declined to give more information about her role or occupation.
She said she was fighting for jobs.
Goodson, who lives in Tuscloosa and was employed at Greenetrack since 2000, said finding work has been difficult. She said she is substitute teaching and playing piano at church.
Goodson said the closure was a "rude awakening" and said she was denied when she filed for unemployment.
Goodson said there is also free transportation for people throughout the state, from Mobile to Madison County. She said people can call 866-877-4077 for a ride or for more information. The campaign also has a Website, a page on Facebook and a Twitter account.
The Website is www.campaignforjobsandjustice.org.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Country Crossing postpones reopening

Ronnie Gilley, developer of Country Crossing, announced Wednesday that the reopening of the development would be postponed because of threats from the commander of Gov. Bob Riley's Task Force on Illegal Gaming.
"In light of Mr. Tyson's threatening remarks yesterday regarding his eminent raid on Country Crossing, the owners of the machines at our facility advised they will not give the critical support needed for the operation of the project," Gilley said in a statement. "We understand the significant investment made by the machine manufacturers, and we are taking their suggestion to postpone reopening."
He said he was committed to reopening the facility.
Gilley asked all employees to show up to work on Thursday so he could address them and the media at 11 a.m.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Two GOP senators support bingo bill

Republican state Sens. Jimmy Holley and Harri Anne Smith have said they support a bill that would allow a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment that would legalize and tax electronic bingo at destination points in the state, according to a report in the Dothan Eagle.

Holley and Smith could be very key votes in the fight over electronic bingo, which Gov. Bob Riley and many Republicans believe are slot machines that are illegal in Alabama. The Democrats would need 21 votes to stop a filibuster on the bill, which is expected, and to pass the legislation.

There are 21 Democrats in the Senate and 14 Republicans, but one of those Democrats typically votes with Republicans.

"The events of the past few weeks dictate and clearly point to the fact that a final resolution to electronic bingo's legality will require the people of Alabama to exercise their right to vote on the issue," Holley, R-Elba, said in a Wednesday release. "I will support a vote on a constitutional amendment on the bingo issue if the amendment provides for a strong oversight commission, taxes the machines in an amount that is fair to the people of Alabama, and brings closure to this sad chapter in Alabama's history."

Holley and Smith, R-Slocomb, represent areas where feelings are strong about the Country Crossing development, which recently shut down due to threats of a raid from Riley's Task Force on Illegal Gambling. Hundreds of people lost their jobs when the complex, which includes a bingo pavilion and restaurants, shut down.

The Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee approved the bill on Tuesday and a top senator has said the bill would come before the full body on Thursday or early next week.

Holley opposed a similar measure a year ago, according to the Dothan Eagle, because it created a monopoly for a few operators, and would take money from local charities.

The senator said the ongoing fight between Riley and Attorney General Troy King over the issue and the attempted raids at Country Crossing near Dothan and VictoryLand in Shorter contributed to his belief that a statewide vote is the best way to solve the conflict.

"I am still reviewing the legislation and will monitor any changes to the proposal. However, ultimately only a vote by Alabama's citizens will bring the issue to a conclusion," Holley said in the statement. "This is a great state whose citizens believe in democracy. If this legislation is placed on the ballot for a vote, then the final resolution would be in the hands of those who exercise their constitutional right to vote."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Smith has primary competition for Senate seat

Dothan businessman George Flowers plans to run against fellow Republican Harri Anne Smith for her state Senate seat.
Beginning in December, he raised more than $100,000 to run for the southeast Alabama Senate seat.
"Our success in fundraising convinced me we would have the resources needed to run a competitive and ultimately successful race," Flowers said. "It is obvious there is a hunger throughout the district for new leadership in Montgomery, and the money we raised in just one month is evidence of that fact."
Smith angered some in her party when she endorsed the Democratic candidate, Bobby Bright, in the race for congressional District 2. She lost in a runoff in the Republican primary to state Rep. Jay Love.
Flowers said he recognizes the importance of Country Crossing to the Wiregrass and said he would support a statewide referendum if the legislation is acceptable and the revenues are taxed at a national standard.
He criticized the incumbent for several of her votes including one on a teacher code of ethics.
Former U.S. Rep. Terry Everett was among the first to contribute to Flowers' campaign.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Riley, King spar over attempted raids

Two of the state's top elected officials sparred Friday over attempted raids on two casinos by a task force assembled by the governor.

Attorney General Troy King, in a letter hand delivered to the governor's office on Friday morning, wrote that he thought the actions of Gov. Bob Riley's Task Force on Illegal Gambling exposed the state to liability and that the situation could be resolved through the judicial system. The state's top law enforcement official also expressed concerns about the task force disregarding private property rights and due process.
Riley, in his response, wrote that he was "deeply disappointed that you continue to show more concern for the casino bosses in Alabama than for the enforcement of the law by dedicated law enforcement officials."
The governor accused King of "parroting the talking points of the gambling bosses."
King, soon after news of the attempted raids on VictoryLand in Macon County and Country Crossing near Dothan, advised the governor to use "caution in your approach." He said it is his constitutional duty to offer legal advice to the state and its officers.
"Regrettably, today's actions continue to escalate matters after weeks of news stories reporting on the public feud between you and the operators who were targeted this morning, about the discrediting and resigning of your first task force commander, and about the revelations of the large gambling contributions your new task force commander has taken from the competitors of those you raided," King wrote.

"Now, apparently, you have sent hundreds of Alabama state troopers, without a search warrant, onto private property at multiple locations. As I presume you know, (since your past actions have been taken under the cover and protection offered by a search warrant), the lack of a search warrant will shift the burden of proving probable cause to you."
Riley said the caution King urged would allow gambling interests to continue to flout the rule of law. He said the attorney general had no appreciation for the many hours of investigation undertaken before Friday's actions.
King also wrote that, along with the disregard for private property rights and due process, he is concerned that the actions are exposing the state's taxpayers, the commander, the directors of public safety and the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, and Riley himself to liability.
"While your personal exposure is not my professional responsibility, you do remain my friend," King wrote. "However, the protection of the state treasury is my responsibility."

Riley and King have a longstanding disagreement over whether electronic bingo is legal in Alabama. Riley formed the task force in late 2008 to combat illegal gambling in the state and appointed former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber as the commander.
Barber resigned Jan. 13 after winning $2,300 at a legal Indian casino in Mississippi. Riley appointed Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson, a Democrat, as commander on Monday.
Riley and King are both Republicans and the governor appointed King to his current position in 2004.
The attorney general wrote that he has advised Riley before and again even more strongly advised him now "to take the most civil and orderly way to proceed while respecting the legal process. I again urge you to file and litigate a declaratory judgment action which will develop the facts which can then be placed before the Alabama Supreme Court."
He wrote that the "current course could disadvantage the state if it places these matters in front of judges whose criminal court rulings are unappealable by the state."
King, in his closing, wrote that he thought the best course was for people to vote to resolve the issue over the legality of gambling.
Riley wrote that the people of Alabama have already expressed their will.
"Rather than concern yourself with efforts to change the law, I suggest that your time would be better spent enforcing the law as written," the governor wrote. "That is what the people elected you to do."

Chris Bence, chief of staff for King, said the letter was not sent out in mass to the media, but only to the outlets that requested it.
Riley, on the other hand, responded with a letter sent to state media.
He said he was puzzled why King was not more concerned about the "lawless action of the circuit judge in Macon County who enjoined an ongoing criminal operation notwithstanding that the Alabama Supreme Court ruled just two weeks ago that circuit judges have no jurisdiction to do that."
Riley said opinions by the Alabama Supreme Court on Friday and in November reiterate that bingo must be played by people, not machines, and that people must physically mark their cards. "Without any shadow of a doubt, every machine at Country Crossing, and every machine at VictoryLand, makes those determinations for the player," Riley wrote. "Therefore, those machines are simply not legal under any bingo amendment."
Mentioning an opinion by King, Riley said the Alabama Supreme Court has ruled two times in three months "that you were wrong."
"While you might prefer declaratory judgment actions that will take months to resolve while the gambling bosses continue to rake in illegal profits, there is no stronger declaration than the one made by our supreme court," Riley wrote.
Bence also emphasized that the task force was operating without any communication with King, the top law enforcement officer in the state.
"We are not a part of the task force and we were not invited to be in it," Bence said. "He purposely excluded us. We have no connection with the task force and do not know what its activities are. However, as attorney general, Troy King does have the obligation of informing the governor, which we are doing by letter, of our concerns about the process."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen