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Troy King is pathetic. He made such a big show during the Supreme Court case of saying he was the state’s chief law enforcement officer and no one should be allowed to encroach on his authority to enforce the law. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, he says, “Hey, you guys go enforce the law.”
Dittos on the “Troy King is pathetic” view. He is doing nothing to dissuade people from thinking that he is a pawn of big money gambling interests. The writing is on the wall for electronic bingo, as anyone who has half a brain and who has read the recent court rulings can confirm. King nonetheless continues to muddy the waters, which benefits only gambling concerns.
it takes a whole brain to interpret what the courts said, rachel…..king has again made the right move by involving the DAs of these counties with gaming amendments…
What the decision ACTUALLY says is that the local constitutional amendment dictates whether electronic bingo is legal. The Court set forth the standards for what the “game commonly known as bingo” is, because many local amendments use that language. The Court did NOT state that electronic bingo is illegal where the local amendment provides for it. To the contrary, the Court recognized that Greene County has a local amendment that specifically contemplates a bingo game that is played electronically.
I am not usually a TK defender, but he made the right call here. Local DAs need to examine their local amendments to determine if the bingo games played in the county comply. Not surpisingly, the media missed all of this.
Is it not the job of the AG to “enforce the law, not how I would like it to be, but how it is”?
Troy King said that until he was blue in the face last year. Now, the law is not how he would like it to be, but he won’t enforce it. He had a real opportunity here to prove to me and everyone else he was capable of doing the job of AG. Or at least to SAY he was going to do the job.
If it’s not the job of the AG to lead law enforcement efforts across the state, what is his job?
I get the last part of what you’re saying Baud, and you’re right. But, the whole problem is, DAs in White Hall, Macon County and Greene County would never “interpret” the law to hurt the casinos there. We all know why. That’s why we have an AG whose power to prosecute supercedes that of local DAs.
What if local DAs say they’ll just let the sheriff decide, then the sheriffs say they’ll just let their deputies decide? Passing the buck is cowardly.
steve flowers calls it..
http://www.prattvilleprogress.com/article/20091118/PROGRESS03/911180317/1043/progress01
Why should Troy King suddenly care about district attorneys, after he has waged pitched battles with them for most of his tenure? Recall his opposition just last month to deceptive practices suits brought by various DAs against pharmacies, for example. Recall also how he unfairly attacked Shelby County DA Robby Owens in 2007 as somehow being soft on capital murder defendants, which caused an uproar within the DA’s association. Now, suddenly, he wants to hide behind their skirts?
perhaps you missed this part of the flowers article…”Bradley Arant, one of the most prestigious law firms in the state, advised creditors and bank interests that the only two ways of reversing or negating the constitutional amendment authorizing the gaming in Macon County would be to adopt a new constitutional amendment or for the state to adopt a completely new constitution.”
so how would you argue this one, rachel?? BA don’t know what they are talking about??
CC, I don’t really care about the Macon County amendment, other than to say that it’s the exception rather than the rule. The amendments pertaining to bingo in other counties are very similar, if not identical. Courts — from a federal district court interpeting the Madison County amendment to a state judge interpreting the Walker County amendment to the Supreme Court interpreting the Lowndes County amendment — are coming out with rulings making clear that these electronic machines are not bingo.
But you miss my point. Even if there were honest disputes about the scope of these laws, King is conveniently abdicating his responsibility, punting instead to the DAs. Doing so is completely against his style — he loves to grab headlines and boast how much of a law-and-order champion he is. While some suggest that he has connections to gambling interests, I have no idea about his motives. His recent statements and positions, however, are so odd that observers will continue to question his motives. Whether intended or not, moreover, the uncertainty created by his actions will help those who want to keep the machines in place for as long as possible.
Bradley Byrne has traveled across Alabama telling gambling interests he’ll go easy on them. A wink and a nod. A far cry from what he’s said on the record that he’ll fight gambling and won’t let it go on the ballot, if he’s elected governor. In the words of Rush Limbaugh, “Call him der Slickmeister!”
How many tax dollars have been wasted by Riley’s futile attempt to rid the state of bingo and gambling? Even if he successfully shuts down all the bingo halls, all the counties have to do is pass new amendments legalizing electronic bingo. Plus there are still the Indian casinos that Riley can’t go after. Not to mention gambling over the internet.
Between this stunt and the Paragon Source fiasco, Bob “Mr. Ethics” Riley has proven that the only thing he is adept at is throwing away the taxpayers’ money.
As far as Steve Flowers’ article goes, he certainly has some misconceptions. He says that the majority of Houston County is in favor of Country Crossing. That is an opinion, as the people were denied their right to vote on the issue, thanks to Harianne Smith. She was “against” it before she was “for” it. She announced publicly that gambling in Houston County should be something the people decide. But, the gambling interests couldn’t rely on a vote, so they put pressure on her to change her mind. You hear all the talk about giving the people the right to vote, but a straight up and down vote is something they fear, in my opinion.
And, for Steve to compare Country Crossing to an”expansive Branson-like Park” is laughable. A bingo hall, a 10 room bed and breakfast, a few restaurants, a sit on the ground amphitheater, and some concrete plats called an RV park, do not a Branson make. Branson has thrived without gambling. I wish Country Crossing could as well.
you think someone waved a magic wand and branson appeared overnight??? leave us the hell alone and come back and look at country crossing and 231 south in 50 years…..
and harri ann works for us not the few big shots that thought they owned her and houston county….once we had enough your darn right we let her know about it and guess what, she listened……something your governor should try for a change…
Perhaps my problem is I’m not a member of mensa, or a highly sought after attorney… but why does the clear intent of the law not stop frivilous arguements?
Country Crossing stopped it’s first local competition by having the sheriff close the new strip club. Lot’s of good entertainment heading for Houston Co.
beats the heck outta me but i can promise you tomorrow will be a very interesting day in monkey town…. ; ) stay tuned….
CC, the anon post above was illustrating that the intent of the law was for PAPER Bingo..NOT Electronic Bingo.