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Golfers shake hands after one makes a putt.
ABC has run an investigative story titled, “Caught on Camera: Legislators Behaving Badly”. The story highlights state legislators from all over taking part in the 2010 National Conference of State Legislators in Louisville, Kentucky July 25-28th. ABC sent five graduate school journalists to the conference to investigate what type of activities took place at such an event.
ABC says, “Over the course of four days, it was one blowout party after another; put on by lobbyists for big companies eager to seek influence.”
Just after the two minute mark of the piece, Alabama legislators are highlighted for skipping out on an ethics panel to play golf “hosted by a lobbyist for the state’s gambling and bingo interests.”
McCampbell responds to ABC reporter's questions
Representative A.J. McCampbell (D – Demopolis) even threatens a reporter asking him why he was playing golf instead of attending the conference: “If you don’t want me to take this to you, gentleman, leave!” The “this” was a golf club in his hand. McCampbell is running for reelection unopposed on November 2nd.
Four other men are shown playing golf in the video, one of which I assume is the lobbyist mentioned. I cannot say for certain who each person is, but I’m sure some readers might recognize them.
Update: Thanks Anon, for the link in the comments identifying the other members of the group: Greg Jones (lobbyist), Representative Oliver Robinson (D – Birmingham), Representative Harry Shiver (R – Bay Minette), and State Senator Bobby Singleton (D – Greensboro).
I’ve asked for a full list of attendees from the National Conference of State Legislators, and will update if they respond.
No matter who all of the attendees were at the golf outing, it is disturbing to me, even if not surprising, that some of our legislators are taking state money for conferences to skip them and play golf with lobbyists. And to skip an ethics forum at that…
Perhaps our representatives would think twice about these sorts of decisions if they were required to report expenditures directed toward them less than the current limit of $250 per day.
See the full video from ABC below:
hmm all democrats… how convenient…
Great job AJ McCampbell. Way to make Alabama proud on national TV.
As the Gilley bots out there would say, “I bet ten to one” that they mention the DOJ Investigation into Alabama’s legislature and senate. Is the main show on tonight? I’ll have to DVR it!
Here’s a link I found on ABCnews.com. It has additional footage which includes Greg Jones and Harry Shiver.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/caught-tape-lobbyists-golf-party-lawmakers/story?id=11921636&page=1
Legislators were Oliver Robinson, AJ McCampbell, Harry Shiver and Bobby Singleton. Lobbyist was Greg Jones.
ok, one repub… apologies
It’s interesting to note that all 4 of these legislators ran unopposed this year in both the primary and the general.
hahahaha!!
Looking at the clip that Anon posted that shows the whole Ala group being interviewed/confronted, is that Ronnie Gilley with them as they load their clubs in their cars?
[...] H/T to Doc’s. [...]
Sure acts like Ronnie Gilley…he runs and hides. Seen as a big man on the golf course, but when the heat is on he takes off running.
ABC Nightline has gone the way of gotcha journalism? I guess their rating were just too abysmal.
Good for ABC. That Republican should be ashamed.
Ethics – we will never see ethics reform no matter which party is in control. None of them have the courage or the desire to institute real reform. There’s way to much money to be made by leaving things as they are.
Did I miss this locally…Fox 6, WSFA, one of the newspapers?
@Merriamslittlesister – I’m not sure which TV stations might have run it, but a couple of other blogs and al.com via the Huntsville Times put it up after our story. But ABC ran it nationally on Nightline last night (Wed). The other local affiliates focus more on the golf club wagging than the skipping of the conference to play golf w/ a lobbyist. We wanted to highlight what they were doing originally rather than focus on their reaction to being found out, as did ABC.
Thanks Brian!
When I lived in Montgomery I never had to pay for a drink at Kat n’ Harri’s(now closed), Sinclair’s, or Bud’s when the legislature was in session. When I would get ready to leave and try to pay the bartenders would say it was taken care of by what ever lobbyist that was hosting a party…..more times than not it was Alabama Power, some insurance company or gambling interest….I even had a few meals at Jubilee…It pays to tip well….:-)
The feds should simply shut down Alabama. We don’t deserve the right(s)to self govern. We certainly do not monitor our government. We relish in corruption like pigs in slop. We love outlaws and lawlessness. We are Puerto Rico, deserving of only hybrid/territorial status. Maybe the feds can appoint of a panel of professors and priests to play philosopher kings to our Jepetto 2 step moves…Now that would a worthy dance~!
What’s your point AEA? Couldn’t you have refused?
The point is that instead of campaign finance reform we need ethics reformvin Montgomery…..$250.00 per day can be spent w/o raising an eyebrow……would you refuse if someone picked up your tab for a few glasses of single malt?
Gee Proud AEA, who has been the biggest opponent of ethics reform? Your buds at the AEA, of course. Too bad the ALSC slammed the door on the AEA’s attempt to kill double dipping in the two year system. 8-0 decision. I guess when you get out of the circuit court with the judge bought and paid for by the AEA you get a decision based on the law.
So Susan should Mike Hubbard receive unbid contracts related to Auburn such as printing contracts? Should Mike Hubbard work for the company that broadcasts Auburn sports a company that he use to own that won the rights under a bid contract despite the fact that his bid paid Auburn a few millions less than the next highest bidder? FYI, that next highest bidder bought Hubbard’s company.
Should Larry Dixon been allowed to serve in the Senate since he was a quasi state employee, as head of the State Medical Review Board?
Love to hear your response….
It never ceases to surprise me, the Democrat response to well founded accusations of impropriety.
Statement- “Legislators from Alabama (mostly or all Democrat) skip presentation on ethics to play golf with lobbyists.”
Response – “Well, Mike Hubbard makes a killing off of Auburn’s media.” or “Well, Bob Riley and Jack Abramoff had a lunch together in 1998.”
Ok. But, what about the guy that threatened to hit the journalism student with a golf club for catching him on the links with gambling lobbyists during a federal corruption investigation? Answer that.
And, if you’d like to make more of an issue of Riley or Hubbard, have these stories printed in any publication other than the Alabama School Journal. I’m sure real reporters will run them if there is any credibility to them.
What McCampbell did was wrong but the edited tape shows a continuous battering by the reporter until she/he got the reaction they desired.
As to Mr. Hubbard’s contracts the Birmingham News has written stories about the contracts both Bobby Lowder and Mike Hubbard have received from Auburn without being competitively bid.
Here is an article that provides the same information as what was in the Alabama School Journal minus the football program
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2009/12/auburn_university_president_qu.html
Another one to prove I’m not bias…
http://www2.oanow.com/news/2009/mar/09/paul_davis_isnt_state_gop_chair_double-dipping_too-ar-541507/
Bravo AEA,
OK, so we have 2 issues here.
Issue #1 The Hubbard media contract. He says the higher bid came from a company that didn’t actually have the financial wherewithal to follow through with the bid. I think the explanation is valid, given the fact the company (host Communications) was sold off. If they didn’t have the cash, who cares what they offered.
Another possiblity is that the state might have looked at the potential future tax revenue coming from the deal. I think you’d rather Auburn’s media company be paying Alabama income taxes. And Hubbard’s company, one would assume was based in Alabama. ‘Course, that all went out the window when it got sold to ISP.
Issue #2 Double dipping. Is it the same thing when a legislator is given a no-show job through his political connections, as when the spouse of a representative for a district that is mostly comprised of one of the nation’s largest land-grant institutions has a job at that institution? Should Mrs. Hubbard quit her job and go answer phones for a landscaping company? What if that landscaping company has contracts with the university? In other words, is this a sweetheart deal, or is it just her career? I don’t think it’s fair to paint her with the same brush as people who got their jobs as a result of being legislators, and have to do no work.
Perhaps you disagree.
The unedited ABC news footage is available where? Don’t see any correction or correction at ABC News or in the morning news.
If u watch the entire tape the reporter asks 3 or 4 times for comment…..and McCampbell snapped and told them to back up or else….wrong reaction bad method on part of reporter……why hasn’t PP pressed the issue in regard to Hubbard’s contracts with Auburn Athletic Department and Auburn Board of Trustee’s…I know u interviewed him a few years back but that was mainly softball questions….
Interested in knowing about all that. But, the fact still remains that when there was the opportunity to go to an ethics seminar (while the issue is at the forefront of Alabama politics, especially as it relates to Democrat representatives) these guys said, “Bah. Boring! We’re going to go play golf with gambling lobbyists.” One could even argue the legislators let themselves be wooed away from learning not to sell votes by people who wanted to buy them.
Legislative Debate Thursday, Fayette, AL Civic Center October 28 6 p.m. — will be interesting!!!
House of Representatives 16th District of Alabama
Daniel Boman vs. William Thigpen
Senate 6th District of Alabama
Jim Bonner vs. Roger Bedford
Now that should be an interesting debate. Will it be streamed or reorded?
And it looks like the link to the unedited ABC footage of our golfing legislators is yet to be disclosed.
[...] Brian at Doc’s Political Parlor reported on this story based on a similar report ABC ran on Good Morning America yesterday and a [...]