Welcome Farkers! (If you don’t know what a Farker is, shame on you.)
Southern politics are rife with corruption. It’s been that way for a long, long time. (I grew up in the South, so I’m allowed to generalize. Y’all.)
When I was a child, I thought whenever an Alabama Governor left office, he was automatically sent to jail. I even met a Governor once towards the end of his term and pitied him. I just knew he’d be in jail soon.
The latest down there is that David Barber, the appointed head of the state Task Force on Illegal Gambling, won a jackpot gambling in Mississippi. So while he’s fighting gambling in Alabama, trying to keep it illegal, he’s popping over the border for some quick cash. The Dothan Eagle reports:
“On a recent visit to Mississippi, I visited a legal casino and won a $2,300 prize playing a legal game,” Barber wrote in his resignation letter to Gov. Bob Riley. “While my actions were in full compliance with the law, I am convinced that the forces that operate illegal casinos in Alabama will focus on my actions as part of their continuing effort to smear you and your Task Force.”
And it turns out he was actually followed there by a P.I. hired by the Victoryland Casino. Which is just sad. (The name “Victoryland,” that is.) I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting, but I picture it looking a lot like the roadhouse from Porky’s.
To top it all off, Governor Riley (who totally does not want gambling in Alabama, in case you weren’t clear on that) allegedly received millions of dollars in campaign cash from the “Mississippi Indians” who run the casinos there. Chief Doubles-Down-With-Eleven apparently hoped Riley would keep gambling out of Alabama so gazillions of wampum beads would flow into Mississippi as Alabamians cross the border to gamble.
Guess who else was involved? (No, not Hitler, but you’re close.) HuffPo “reports”:
According to a 2002 US Senate Indian Affairs Committee report, disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff boasted the Choctaw tribe spent $13 million to elect Riley in 2002. The report states Abramoff told William Worfel, the former Vice Chairman of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, that Mississippi Choctaw Chief Phillip Martin spent the money to protect the Choctaw’s gaming enterprise …
The report further notes, convicted lobbyist Michael Scanlon, Bob Riley’s former congressional press secretary, received $4.5 million over two years to protect the Choctaw’s gaming interests through the scheme known as “Operation Orange.”
So the man who made the task force may be just as big a hypocrite as the man who ran the task force. And a possible GOP gubernatorial candidate this year has accused Riley of trying to silence his exposure of the campaign finance scandal.
The saint in all this may just be Barber’s replacement, Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson Jr., who has openly admitted to gambling and losing 20 years ago. Glad he got that out of his system. Now he just has to worry about the NAACP complaining that he protected an underling who was nabbed for child porn while running the county’s Child Advocacy Center.
Hey, it’s the South, and moreover, it’s the land called Alabama. Now excuse me while I go and eat a deep-fried Twinkie– with grits for dipping sauce.
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I always wondered what ever happened to the guy that played Les Nessman.
Curse you, Pastafarian! I had to get out the paper towels. And I agree with you.
Why are politicians so corrupt?
“It’s a helicopter, and it’s coming this way. It’s flying something behind it, I can’t quite make it out, it’s a large banner and it says, uh – Happy… Thaaaaanksss… giving! … From … W … K … R… P!! No parachutes yet. Can’t be skydivers… I can’t tell just yet what they are, but – Oh my God, Johnny, they’re turkeys!! Johnny, can you get this? Oh, they’re plunging to the earth right in front of our eyes! One just went through the windshield of a parked car! Oh, the humanity! The turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement! Not since the Hindenburg tragedy has there been anything like this!”
WKRP is TV Gold. Now if they would release them with the original songs they played in the booth it would make more sense to people watching.
I don’t think that southern politics are particularly MORE rife with corruption than politics in any other state or region. Our politics are just corrupt in weirder ways. I’m from Alabama (Birmingham and Huntsville), and probably the lowest point reached in state politics in my lifetime was either Wallace or Siegelman. Guy Hunt didn’t do us any favors, either.
Eh, I don’t have a problem with the guy crossing state lines to gamble where it’s legal to do so. It’s not even that I disapprove of gambling; I just think it’s stupid. Really, really stupid. It’s a tax on people who can’t calculate probability.
You get free drinks, though.
That’s not all of the story. Not only has Gov Riley accepted millions of dollars from mississippi gaming interests but his son-in-law works for the law firm representing the Tribes. Electronic Bingo has been played just 20 miles from the Governor’s mansion since 1992. Now, 18 yrs later and 7 yrs after he took office, he suddenly has a problem with it. And does the task force go after the 6000 machines next door at Victoryland? Of course not! He would rather go after the 1700 machines at Country Crossing. IMHO he simply has it in for the developer of CC, Ronnie Gilley.
“I don’t have a problem with the guy crossing state lines to gamble where it’s legal to do so.”
Yeah but he’s trying to keep gambling illegal in his state. I would call that a conflict of interest at least.
“It’s a tax on people who can’t calculate probability.”
Maybe, but it’s my money. I should be able to spend it however I want.
If you think Southern politics are corrupt, just visit Chicago. It’ll make your head spin.
I see what you’re saying, Pasta, and I should have added that it is pretty stupid–and hypocritical–to engage in something you don’t think should be allowed in your own state. And notice that I didn’t say I thought gambling should be forbidden. I think golf is stupid too, but I don’t want it outlawed. Where would all those over-the-hill fratboys go if they did THAT?
I have to say, bamagirl, since we moved out of state I’ve not kept up with Alabama politics very well. That’s a really disappointing piece of news, there.
Pastafarian, unless that money came out of your vagina you have no say on how it can be used. And 90% of some random demographic agree with that statement.
Funny how we hold people to these ridiculous standards. They set the rules we are supposed to live by, then we are suprised to find our leaders also don’t play by the same rules the enforce. Some honesty would be better lessons for our children then pretending laws like these and the people who enforce them should be trusted.
I am afraid the hypocrisy is here. Keeping Gambling and Illeagal Gambling out of a State does not equate to engaging in legal gambling in another state. If the Govenor Recieved Campaign Contributions from a Casino Operator and is still opposed to Gambling in his state then that actually proves he cannot be bought.
The man was right to resign because his suspicions were correct. It seems as if a Casino Operator is the one trying to gin up a controversy where none exists in order to bring pressure on the sitting Governor.
As far as Southern Politics being more corrupt that is plain stupid, it is just more visible. Corruption exists in politics all over the counry. In the South we know who is corrupt and who bought them. Else where in the country you can only guess. Just kidding but there is some truth in that.
@Stan: HA HA HA HA HA!
http://blog.al.com/live/2010/01/records_show_pacs_funded_by_ga.html
New Details on the story:
MOBILE, Ala. — John Tyson, named Monday as head of Gov. Bob Riley’s anti-gambling task force, received tens of thousands of dollars in contributions from political action committees that were funded by gambling proponents during his 2006 campaign for attorney general, according to campaign finance records.
A son of the south myself – love to see the hypocrites exposed – keep it up. BTW – I love Chief Philip Martin – he carries a big stick and knows where to spend his money.
Riley will fail at getting rid of gambling in ALabama. For one, he can not close the Indian casino in Wetumpka since the state has no authority over them. Second, Victoryland is a dog track that is wanting to expand into casino gambling. WHat makes this worse, Riley is closing casino’s that pay state fees and taxes but the Indian casino pays no taxes to the state.
If Riley’s–or anyone’s–objection to gambling is on moral grounds, then they shouldn’t be participating in it at all. If the morality of gambling isn’t an issue for them, then I would have to wonder why they’re being so shortsighted as to let those potential revenues slip through their fingers.
That said, Georgia has a state lottery, that we’re always hearing is “for the chullrun” (e.g., schools). Yet Georgia’s public schools are among the worst in the nation. SOMEBODY’S getting those duckies, but it ain’t the kids.
I’m having a vagina installed where I’ll keep my money next Friday now because of you.
Are you happy Stan?
I’m with richb, most all of the corrupt pols in the South are open secrets.
The dictionary should have circular references: corrupt: see politician & politician: see corrupt
With respect to the issue of gambling, it IS about probablity. What about putting down money to see a movie? For a family of 4, that’s a $25~$40 proposition BEFORE a trip to the snack bar; on a date, that’s half of the previous estimate, then visit the snack bar. What do you get for your money? 20-30 minutes of commercials you can’t mute (& you can’t channel surf away from) & what are the odds that you will be entertained by the latest drivel to come from Hollyweird?
” … I’m having a vagina installed where I’ll keep my money next Friday now because of you.
Are you happy Stan? …”
Nevermind Stan. He’s all wrong for you.
Need a ride to the bank to cash your check?
Of course, “where you keep your money” could be a coffee can buried in the back yard.
I’m from the area and would just like to clarify a comment made by the author of this article. “(The name “Victoryland,” that is.) I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting, but I picture it looking a lot like the roadhouse from Porky’s.”
This is actually a very nice establishment with unbelievable food and a great entertainment environment. Nothing like Porky’s mind you. It’s sad the impression people have of the South.
Pasta, you do know, among other things, it is in fact called a pocketbook. Back in the day mothers used to warn their daughters to protect their pocketbook. But you probably already knew that.
Wow. Tim Tebow and Dothan in the same week. It must be This Guy month here at Deceiver.
For the record, we here in the Wiregrass (I’m just on the other side of the Florida line) think Riley’s an idiot for this whole bingo nonsense. Alabama doesn’t have much coastline or mountain or other things people not from Alabama would come for*, and to take money away from them on “moral” grounds is ridiculous.
*For the record, Dothan’s not the worst place to be 45 minutes from, and the Mobile and Montgomery areas are plenty charming.
@ThisGuy: I’m in Albany, GA. Calling THIS area the Devil’s Taint is an understatement. So it’s good to know your area isn’t so bad. Huntsville is actually a fairly good place to live, but I wouldn’t live in Birmingham these days if you paid me and provided the body armor.
Hey!
What’s wrong with a deep-fried Twinkie?
And cheese-grits make the best dipping sauce.
When I moved to Louisiana I was thankful I had left Alabama politics.
When I moved back to Alabama I was thankful I had left Louisiana politics.
Remember, this is the state where the two black candidates for mayor of Birmingham charged each other with racism! And, yes, whenever I go into B’ham I am carrying and I wear my bullet-proof vest. Living in Alabama is like walking thru a beautiful meadow, its really great, as long as you don’t step in anything.
These are “farkers”
http://gypsykid.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/the-internet-is-full-go-away.jpg
/b/ too.
Go on you can admit it.
HEY! I’m just kidding around!!! please don’t hack my interwebs!
Beige,
The vast majority of GA lotto money goes to fund the HOPE scholarship which puts a huge numebr of GA students into college. GA is in fact one of the few states that does keep its lotto funds funding education. Trust me I know I work in the gaming industry in GA and if someone found out the cash was flowing into a general fund or into someones pocket it would be shut down faster than a wink. We have a horde of anti-gambling asses over here as well.
I give you 10 to 1 he gets 5 to 10.
We’re going to a casino for Valentine’s day. ’cause nothing says “I love you” like free drinks whilst yelling at cards at the blackjack table because you were dealt a damn 15 for the third freaking time.
Anyway, like Beige, I’d want to know if this guy claims to oppose gambling on moral grounds or…what, exactly. Even if he opposes it because he thinks it promotes (insert X bad thing for the community), he shouldn’t be gambling at all….
You so have Alabama pegged. Every time we make it into the news, I cringe, because I know it ain’t gonna be good. Why, just today an Alabama boy made national headlines…
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/magazine/31Jihadist-t.htm
That is good to know, and while I sure do hate that none of the piss-poor public elementary* schools are getting any benefit out of all that dough, I’m happy to have been wrong. But thinking that Georgia would be as corrupt as just about every OTHER state is a pretty honest mistake to make.
ARRGGGHHH. I hate it when I hit “Submit” BEFORE I’m done. Sorry.
*My concern with elementary schools springs from the fact that my kids are not yet middle-school aged.
Beige,
I hear you I have a son in elementry school here in GA. And dont get me wrong there is plenty wrong with GA schools but I dont put much stock in the ratings between States. All of our schools are drek.
JB, that’s a fact. The town/county where we live has a particularly abysmal school system, however. I know of people whose kids are in public schools (and again, I’m talking elementary-level) and they’re doing…okay. And if “okay” is good enough for the parents, fine.
I agree with the basic premise arguing that this is hypocritical and corrupt, but I honestly have to ask, was there any need to resort to racially stereotypical and insensitive statements to describe the management and owners of the casinos? Would you have made similar statements if the owners were African American? Perhaps something about watermelon and fried chicken? How did your statement referring to a Native American as “chief,” making up a traditional sounding joke name, and referring to a traditional mnemonic device (rather than currency), in any way make the argument more valid? Businessmen (and women) contributed to a campaign to maintain an advantage, the apparently corrupt politician is now upholding that agreement (again apparently) in a very hypocritical way. Why did race even enter into the equation?
Well put, dogmeatlB. Calling Indians ‘chief’ is racist-I’ve noticed non-Indians referring to any and all Indian men as ‘chief’ and thinking that is cute. No, it isn’t. It’s insulting and condescending. And wampum? Oh honey please. You can make the point about corruption and buying off politicians without resorting to stereotypes and racist language. -signed, cranky old Indian
my question is why do we allow these corrupted individuals to run our country? I do not just blame politics but I also blame the Americans for their ignorance.
Victoryland is actually a nice place. Your imagination is poor. Good day.
Bob Riley is a good man and also a good governor. He is upholding the law of the state of Alabama. If some people do not like the laws they should not vilify our Governor. They should vote for someone like Singleton who now awaits his return to prison. Money corrupts as our Attorney General and others have shown us. Come our next election day I hope the people of our state remember this gambling issue, and the politicians who were bought off.