Posted by The struggle over the gambling issue is a remarkable one, a struggle of titans in the state. I haven’t said much about it because it’s so fascinating on its own without commentary. What meager words could be added here that would be worthwhile additions to what we are already reading in the daily headlines? I am one who enjoys Citizen Kane or Raiders of the Lost Ark on the silver screen as much or more without someone whispering in my ear.
That said, if you want to get up to speed on recent happenings in the saga, here is a Montgomery Advertiser article for you.
And these pictures came our way of the pre-dawn confrontation at Victoryland Friday morning.
Troopers arriving at entrance greeteed by Atty Fred Gray
More than a dozen large moving trucks on hand to remove machines
Troopers arriving at entrance
Troopers entering Victoryland
Troopers line up outside Victoryland
Trooper vehicles
Atty Gray tells Tyson that entering without search warrant is illegal
Click on a picture to see a bigger version of it.
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Seems like a wise use of law enforcement resources. It isn’t like there are any other crimes being committed in Alabama.
This “there are bigger crimes in Alabama” argument is getting tiresome. Are we supposed to ignore shoplifting because we haven’t caught every rapist? Are we only allowed to prosecute rape when every murder has been solved? Society would break down if we took such an approach, particularly if we allowed corrupt and powerful interests to grow more powerful and more corrupt by systematically breaking these “minor” criminal laws. They got Al Capone for tax evasion. Certainly there are more serious crimes than tax evasion, but thankfully someone was willing to enforce the law there, too.
So you are arguing that taking 200 troopers off the streets to accomplish, well, nothing was a wise use of resources? It was a waste because no laws were enforced. Riley’s team didn’t get their ducks in a row ahead of time and looked like a bunch of clowns trying to unsuccessfully raid bingo halls without search warrants. If you’re going to take 200 troopers off the streets – at considerable expense to taxpayers – then you better make sure they can at least do something.
And by the way, you should ignore shoplifting if there is a rape suspect to be pursued. Maybe in your mind the two are equal and cops should just keep running after the purse snatcher even if a rape is being perpetrated in plain sight. Don’t bring up these ridiculous “enforce every law” arguments. Riley is trying to enforce this one particular law with a passion that is unequaled. Makes you wonder why.
It does make you wonder how powerful these gambling folks are that they can turn away 100+ law enforcement officers attempting to execute their duty to uphold the law. And, why do you think there was no warrant? Could it be b/c these gambling interests own all of the judges in their judicial circuit?
Judges and politicians. Scary !
Sadly, let’s be fair. To say that every Judge in the Judicial Circuit is in someones pocket. Sounds like a godfather movie.
Isn’t it wonderful when two of those self righteous, God fearing, Bible Thumpers like Riley and King go at each other. Oh, and I didn’t mean “go at each other” like some of you are thinking about when speaking of King.
Remember the Good Ole Days when all Repubs. lived Reagan’s 11th comandment, “Thou shall not Speak Ill of Another Republican”, and when Troy King worked for Riley, and all Repubs. wore white robes and adored each other? Makes you wonder what happened?
Ab’s comments in post #1 are absolutely correct. NO crime should be ignored. And as for the powerful interests getting richer while laws are being broken, I again agree with Ab. So, since the Choctaws (big money special interest) bribed Riley, Ab will volunteer to file the appropriate ethics complaint against Riley. Everyone by now has seen Abramoff’s email to Scanlon that point blank says the Choctaws pumped the dough to Riley and wanted him – in return for their support – to shut down gambling in Alabama. You get ‘em Ab. Point out that hypocrisy and show Riley that we all see him for the slimey, cheap snake-oil salesmen that he is.
There’s no need for Nick Bailey’s testimony to prove this bribe – Riley is doing it on live TV.
I just wish Riley would do his job, that would be to govern. I don’t remember him being elected chief law enforcement officer for the state, that would be Troy King’s job. He needs to either run for Attorney General, change the Constitution, or shut-up and govern his state, which amazingly happens to be his job.
On another note, just because they don’t agree with Riley doesn’t make judges corrupt. Judge Young, the judge who issued this ruling, happens to be a friend and to suggest that he is somehow “on the take” or otherwise corrupted with no evidence is slanderous, not to mention rude.
If these slot machines are legal, why are the Casinos hiding behind their screen of “not on the take” Judges. I would think the opening of the machines and the verdict that they were legal is just what the Casio Bosses would want. This will only happen when the Officers can sieze active machines, not those that have been reprogramed behind chained doors.
It is just irresponsible to suggest an honorable person is corrupt with ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE just because they don’t agree with you.
Every time this happens McGregor and Gilley rile up their employees to write in to the papers. Gilley is paying all his employees to be at a rally at Country Crossing from what rumors I’ve heard from folks.
I miss your point BossHogBuster. Didn’t Riley pay a bunch of his employees to rally at Country Crossings Friday? What’s the diff?
The politics of this are really tough, as are the ethics/morals. Leaving that all aside, I find a certain amount of satisfaction in having several hundred of our state troopers reminded that they are not above the law.
First there was last Friday’s Ala Supreme Court opinion re St. Clair County bingo. Then there was the Bham News story today about Larry Langford’s amazing lucky streak at VictoryLand(http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/01/lawsuit_adds_claims_that_larry.html). Poor ol’ Milton is having a rough weekend…
Anyone else notice the gentlemen standing near Tyson and Parkman in the various videos online? Those do not look like “locals”. They look right out of a movie.
Riley will win legally on this one. The 4th Amendment establishes no warrant shall issue except upon probable cause. What is Probable Cause? It is where known facts and circumstances, of a reasonably trustworthy nature, are sufficient to justify a man of reasonable caution or prudence in the belief that a crime has been or is being committed (Draper v. U.S. 1959). FACT: A law enforcement officer witnessed a crime? An officer does NOT need the AG’s permission or a warrant to make an arrest or seize contraband. Speculation of who has legal authority, waste of state resources, the timing, regional gambling bosses in a turf war is just smack talk to the AL Supreme Ct. The Court has spoken on gambling and the lower courts and the executive branch have no choice but to follow the law of the land. This is a very serious matter. For any elected judge and / or AG to do anything less than their duty… google Justice Moore, Governor Hunt and Governor Siegelman.
citizens are getting mighty sick and tied of the waste of money going into rileys crusade…look how many of our state troopers were tied up with victory land and CC the other night….btw how many state trooper does this state have?? the poll today at wsfa is very telling…you nay sayers are loosing numbers out in the real world…looks like your doing ok here…
The Supreme Court hasn’t spoken on this issue clear enough for the law not to be ambiguous. Regardless of that fact this isn’t “less than Bob Riley’s duty” it isn’t his “duty” at all. And, until some clarity is brought to the issue, Troy King interprets the law and prosecutes state cases (that IS his duty). Who wants to bet these are not getting prosecuted, if they ever come to fruition?
The interesting thing is that these raids are supposed to occur at random times, so that the machines aren’t moved prior to arrival. Why else conduct them at 4:00am? It would seem to me that there is a mole in the Governor’s office or that one of the “Sworn to uphold the Law” troopers let slip what was about to unfold. Perhaps Troy King as AG is the canary in the coal mine… I rarely see attorney’s that well dressed at 4:00am with prepared statements to boot.
Judge Thompson just ruled against Country Crossing refusing them a restraining order.
wonder if the machines will still be there when the troopers get back…
It’s my understanding that there is still a small presence of state troopers near CC. My guess is to prevent removal of the machines. I still don’t know if there’s a search warrant.The place is chained and boarded up so that it will have to be busted up to get in. I guess then, their claim will be a civil suit for damages.
Talmadge, how is the Supreme Court NOT clear enough on the definition of bingo? It’s laid out pretty clearly. A game of bingo has to meet a certain criteria and there’s no way Country Crossing, Victoryland or Greene Track meet those criteria. Every other casino in Walker, Jefferson, Madison, Mobile Counties, etc. has closed. What makes Country Crossing and Victoryland above the law? Just because Gilley and Milton say so….? They know they’re fighting a losing battle.
RC, I would have to look up the ruling, but what I have read indicates that the ruling was county specific. This would mean that current case law would not affect Macon County unless there was a new case to rule on (which there currently is not) and I don’t think Troy King will prosecute one. Also, if I remember correctly, it is up to the Sheriff to determine if Victoryland is operating within the law. I cite only Victoryland because it is close to home and I am more familiar with it. I know in Jefferson & Mobile counties the Sheriff was against the operations, but I don’t know how their specific amendments read.
Bob Riley is enforcing the law in Alabama. That is what we elected him to do and that is what he is doing. I respect him and I respect his authority to do what is best for Alabama.
No Kin, that is not what we elected him to do. That is what we elected Troy King to do. It isn’t Bob Riley’s job.
[...] “The crazy, pointless early morning raids, the disturbing threats, the silly crowing back and forth between the bingo hall owners and their attorney general and the Governor and his current attorney general, having to see and hear and think about Milton McGregor — this all needs to come to an end,” said J. Eagle Cockfight II, a semi-retired conservative Mountain Brook lobbyist who served in the Reagan administration. “All we want is something that will bring this pointless acrimony to a halt and we can move on to more important tax cuts. [...]
It is Governor’s Riley’s job just as much as the AG job to enforce the laws but under different statutes. They both are in the state executive branch of government (see Alabama Code of 1975). The Governor is the highest elected official in the executive branch of state government. The Dept. of Public Safety (which includes but not limited to the ABI) is under the Governor’s control NOT the AG’s. Riley is acting within his authority. The AG cannot always take the credit for fighting crime.
True, but the AG prosecutes all state cases, so if he doesn’t want to prosecute, it doesn’t matter what the Gov., or the ABI, or anyone else thinks about the law.
yeah, you can thank the alabama constitution for the fact that our ag and our governor aren’t on the same page (or even in the same section of the library it seems) on this bingo issue. i agree with the fine gent from the flashpointblog who asserted that we have bigger fish to fry than bingo machines. plus, i despise the idea that our gov (and many others) decry the immorality of gambling while besting their opponents with money from mississippi’s casinos. isn’t that like establishing a safehouse for sex trafficking victims with money from eastern european pimps? ok, sorry for the terrible analogy. don’t know where i was going with that (perhaps to eastern europe)…
Talmadge,
You might have missed something huge…A COURT ORDER. The AL Supreme Court can ORDER a prosecutor to prosecute a crime/enforce the law or be held in contempt of court (jail and/or fine). They do it all the time. Defying a court on this scale can result in being removed from office (by being placed in jail and fined) and/or can result in being removed permanently by initiation of an ethics investigation. The AL Supreme Court has the ultimate power to interpret the states laws and have the judicial discrection in how to ensure that their orders are enforced. Their Orders are superior to that of the AG. Do not forget the AL Supreme Court has some authority into those who are certified to practice to the AL State Bar and can initiate an inquiry into any licensed attorney for defying a court order. They can even revoke that certification. Thus for any person to defy a court order…one can be held in contempt of court and a professional can loose their license. AL remembers all too well when Roy Moore defied a COURT ORDER. He was removed from office by Alabama’s judicial inquiry commissions findings. I am confident the AG will follow any COURT ORDER. Otherwise, the Governor will be appointing his replacement.
If McGregor and Gilley can give hundreds of thousands of dollars to politicians, why can’t they pay their employees for a week or two while some of this plays out. Everyone is crying, “Jobs lost.” Just seems like the right thing to do. A post on Wiregrasslive is asking for soap, toiletries, gas cards, etc. for the people who’ve lost their jobs at the casino, CC.
The AL Supreme Court has spoken loud and clear today (again). Counties are not above the law and a legitimate criminal investigation can continue. I think the party is over.