Exploding AG Rumors
In my entire life, I have never seen a rumor mill as frenzied as this one regarding Attorney General Troy King has been in the last week. People I have not heard from in many months are calling and emailing to tell their version of the latest, or asking what I know. Like fireworks left over from last week, this rumor has exploded and lit up the state. Some of the blogs have run with it, there is interest on a national level, and it is all over. One friend told me his mostly apolitical neighbor had called to ask about it because the neighbor’s girlfriend had heard it on the tennis court. Alabamians who don’t even know who Troy King is are perking up.
The astonishing consideration from my perspective is how widespread this is relative to how thinly sourced it is. The information I have found in the best places I know to dig has been widely conflicting. In fact, the assertions I heard that have been made to this point that are most easily verifiable have shown not to be true: he’s resigning today, the Advertiser/Tuscaloosa News/other media will have a story tomorrow, he already resigned!, no the media story is actually coming tomorrow!, and so on. I hear adamant claims that one version is true, that another version is true, that it is all false, that it is 90% false, and so on.
Is this a case of where-there-is-smoke-there-is-fire? Or are we in an amplified feedback chamber where a kicked pebble quickly becomes a loud roar? While most of us are in no position to know, I think we can recognize that it is the sensationalism of the story that drives it rather than its demonstrable veracity to this point.
Didn’t he endorse jay love? Has love commented anywhere?
Comment by CC Dollar — July 11, 2008 @ 11:48 am
Sounds to me like Mark Montiel doesn’t have anything better to do so he started a rumor. Many of the details match accusations made about him not so long ago if I remember correctly.
Comment by Prediction — July 11, 2008 @ 11:56 am
I’ll say the same thing here I said at Daily Dixie:
It’s a shame that it takes rumors of a gay sex scandal to get people to take a hard look at Troy King. Dan has chronicled his grandstanding, questionable ethics, hypocrisy, and vindictive nature here. His rumored sexual orientation should have been the least of his worries long ago.
Comment by Kathy — July 11, 2008 @ 12:13 pm
kathy, it’s a shame that you are lumping these rumors in with his job performance - back to obamaland where everything is perfect and it never rains.
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 12:18 pm
How is she lumping them into together? She’s separating them, saying these rumors are separate from (and not as important as) job performance considerations.
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
Anonymous #1, reading comprehension is your friend. Anonymous #2, thanks for clearing that up for #1. AFAIC, Troy King’s sexual orientation has nothing to do with his job performance. If the rumors are true (and that’s still up in the air), the only relevance they have is further proof of his hypocrisy. Which should have been obvious to anyone paying attention back when he was taking favors from Alabama Power.
Comment by Kathy — July 11, 2008 @ 12:46 pm
I’m out of the loop…what’s the allegation?
Comment by Dothan — July 11, 2008 @ 12:47 pm
comment #1 - get real.
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
Dothan,
The core of the rumor is that Troy King is about to resign because a newspaper is about to break a story describing homosexual behavior on his part. The rumored behaviors are three:
1. His wife came home and found him in bed sexually engaged with another man, threw him out of the house and is divorcing him.
2. He has hired a “Toy Boy” at state expense who accompanies him on almost all out of town trips.
3. He and the “Toy Boy” were observed engaged in some inappropriate behavior at the YMCA.
It is also alleged that Riley’s people have been pushing the rumor, perhaps to clear the path for a run for Governor by Rob Riley.
Comment by Pecan Jim — July 11, 2008 @ 1:03 pm
I talked with one of the editors at the Advertiser last night. He said they checked all of the state records and there has been no divorce filings at all. The Gov’s office says nothing to it. It seems to have come from some sodomy sites. I think this is all smoke from a mad sex toy user. Give me a break. I know Troy and he AIN”T QUEER.
Comment by Jethro — July 11, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
We can all trust Troy to GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
Troy has always wanted to fight crime. He even was willing to move to Canada to be a cop. I heard that his childhood ambition was to be a Mount-ee.
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 1:27 pm
Dudlee Dooright, fighting crime by building more prisons, one poor non violent drug offender at a time.
Comment by Murray Rothbard — July 11, 2008 @ 1:44 pm
Danny, thanks for taking the high road on this. So much of whats going on reminds me of the junior high gossip circle many years ago.
Comment by walt moffett — July 11, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
Troy has one of his best men on top of the situation.
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
Troy’s good friend at the AG’s office always has his back.
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
I always said Troy would remind people of J. Edgar Hoover!
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 2:28 pm
Troy’s decision making tends to go both ways
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
Maybe, when Troy was recording that Johnny Cash song, the song he should’ve sung was “A Boy Named Sue.”
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
You folks have this all wrong. All of this was just Troy doing an undercover investigation about male prostitutes. He needed “hard evidence” to satisfy his desire for a fitting climax to the case . . .
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 3:02 pm
Troy’s next CD won’t be country songs - instead he will disco out with his own renditions of the Villlage People’s greatest hits . . .
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
Troy plays Liberace
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 3:18 pm
“here’s Troy King performing the torch songs of Judy Garland . . .”
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
Troy has already formed a support group made up of his personal staff . . .he calls it “Friends of the Attorney General” Hmmm . . .wonder what they’ll call that for short?
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
This story brings together Troy King and Lemmiwinks the Gerbil King in one thread . . .
Comment by Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
[…] Doc’s Political Parlor: Exploding AG Rumors […]
Pingback by Daily Links | Daily Dixie — July 11, 2008 @ 5:31 pm
[…] As Danny - easily the most “connected” Alabama blogger - put it, the story is “thinly sourced.” I think that is being generous. Right now all that we have are the farthest left of the political spectrum, people who were itching for a reason to go after King, citing unnamed, supposedly reliable sources that have thus far proven decidedly unreliable. This includes such noted luminaries as Glynn Wilson (he’s got credentials!) - the man who brought us Dana Jill Simpson. Wilson is known to have a fleeting relationship with the truth and a political axe to grind. Actual news outlets have not written a single word about the alleged scandal, despite numerous assurances from the leftists that such a story was immediately forthcoming. Funny how organizations that have to adhere to ethical standards don’t publish rumors, isn’t it? […]
Pingback by Flashpoint » Blog Archive » The Troy King rumor mill — July 12, 2008 @ 7:21 am
This isn’t out of the realm of possibility. There are several key republicans in Montgomery who are homosexuals.
Comment by tobie — July 12, 2008 @ 8:42 am
I’m certain theres a good explanation. Just like there was a few weeks back when Troy and a male “aide” were caught “wrestling” in the backseat of his car on their lunch hour.
Comment by Jelly — July 12, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
This isn’t out of the realm of possibility. There are several key Democrats in Montgomery who are homosexuals.
Comment by Karl Boots — July 14, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
What is wrong with you people? Rumors, made up stories- none of its true! These rumors were started by those who are upset that Mr. King does his job! He doesn’t play politics and he doesn’t coddle those in power or with money. He stands up for victims! Victims of violent and non-violent crime. What if these lies were told about you and your family? What a better way to hurt someone so deeply than to attack his manhood and his family. You all should be ashamed. If Troy King was gay the folks in Elba would have known it. It’s a small town and everybody knows everybody! Why don’t you discuss truths about those you have evidence on and LEAVE TROY ALONE! If you got proof then print it,otherwise SHUT UP!!!
Comment by shelly — July 14, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
It is 85% true.
Comment by Anonymous — July 15, 2008 @ 6:28 pm
everything can be cleared up, just let his wife go on the news and say its a lie. hey, no problem. i would be more than supportive. red flag alert when there is no comments from the wife. i am amazed at the ones that say they have his back, his closest friends and employees are giving everybody the negative information. otherwise how would anybody else know his personal information, information was leaked out about his hiring and interviewing of young male interns. i would like to hear more from some of the interns. the truth will set him FREE.
Comment by anonymous — July 16, 2008 @ 10:24 pm
A Higher Up in the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office told me about this before I read about it.
He told me this male assistant had an initial salary of $15,7000. Now he has an annual salary of $57,000.
Moreover, My source told me that King has a security detail of ABC agents. He told the the State Capitol Police and the State Troopers don’t want anything to do with King.
King was a joke to start with. He’s Bob Riley’s “political hack”.
Comment by Shticky — October 12, 2008 @ 12:33 pm