Alabama: Massey: No gun to my head

Massey: No gun to my head
Written by Sebastian Kitchen

Gambling lobbyist Jarrod Massey said he dodged state Sen. Quinton Ross in March 2010 and did not return his phone calls even though he has pleaded guilty to bribing the senator to vote for gambling legislation. Ross, D-Montgomery, was requesting campaign contributions about the time of a Senate vote on a gambling bill.


“I do not feel like I gave him any contributions where I felt I had a gun to my head,” Massey said of Ross.


Massey contributed $15,000 to Ross in 2009, but said he declined Ross’s request for $20,000 to $25,000 in 2010 because it was too much, he already felt Ross would vote for gambling legislation, and that VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor would keep him in line to vote for the legislation.


When questioned by an attorney for Ross, Massey acknowledged that he thought $20,000 was too much to give Ross, but was willing to pay other senators $1 million to $2 million.


Lewis Gillis, an attorney for Ross, and Massey talked about a comment from Ross about “not feeling the love,” which Massey has said was Ross feeling that he was owed money for sponsoring gambling legislation in the 2009 legislative session. Gillis said it was just an expression.


Ross has been accused of pushing for campaign contributions just before the Senate vote on gambling. Ross called McGregor the night before the Senate vote on the gambling bill, discussed the bill, and asked for a contribution.


But, when asked by Gillis, Massey said there was no certainty the vote would be the morning of March 30, 2010.


Massey said Ross called him on March 8 and March 29, but “I did not return those phone calls.” When he did see Ross at the State House on March 30, he said Ross was courteous. He said he told Ross they could not contribute then, but would try to contribute after the vote.


Massey said he told the FBI that he was never told by Ross that he had to give Ross money for his vote.


Massey also acknowledged that he was wrong concerning previous testimony about the 2009 contributions to Ross. Massey had said he gave Ross $5,000 during a December dinner at Lek’s restaurant on Atlanta Highway. Gillis pointed out that records indicate the lunch was Oct. 7 and that the contribution was on Dec. 2.


Massey was a lobbyist for Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley. Gilley and Massey have pleaded guilty in a federal corruption case alleging that casino interests tried to bribe state lawmakers to vote for gambling legislation. Ross and McGregor are among nine defendants in the case.