Alabama: witch hunts, pinch hitting, old-school senators

Gambling trial week 7: witch hunts, pinch hitting, old-school senators [Montgomery Advertiser, Ala.]

(Montgomery Advertiser (AL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) July 24--References to witch hunts, pinch hitting, and old-school senators did not make it into the Montgomery Advertiser's daily coverage of the federal corruption trial of state legislators, VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, his lobbyists and others. The following are some of the comments, quotes and tidbits from week seven of the trial: Toes in the sand Former Country Crossing lobbyist Jarrod Massey talked in a recorded conversation with former Country Crossing spokesman Jay Walker about coming out and making a statement about the investigation being "bulls---." Massey tells Walker to push Sen. Harri Anne Smith, through her consultant David Mowery, to "step up to the damn plate" and speak out because they have been supportive of her.

Walker said Mowery was on vacation in Mobile. Massey said "I don't care if he's on vacation or not. ... If he's down there with his toes in the sand, the rest of us are having to f---ing work. ... You need to impress upon him, we've got a lot at stake." Salem witch trial Walker and Massey talked on the day that the Alabama Republican Party was going to vote on whether to remove Smith from the party for supporting a Democrat. Smith, after losing the Republican primary for Congress in 2008, supported Democrat Bobby Bright, the then-mayor of Montgomery.

While Walker and Massey wanted Smith to speak out against the federal investigation, Walker said he told Mowery that they knew Smith was going on the "Salem witch trial." Republicans did vote to remove Smith from the party, but she ran for re-election to the Senate in the conservative south Alabama district as an independent and won.

Pinch hitting After the recording was played about Smith needing to step up to the plate, Smith attorney Jim Parkman asked Massey if he said that because Smith had never "been asked to bat or be a pinch hitter" in the push for the gambling legislation.

Massey disagreed and said "It is something I believe Senator Smith owes Mr. Gilley." Massey was a lobbyist for Ronnie Gilley, the developer of Country Crossing. Gilley has testified to directing hundreds of thousands of dollars to Smith's campaign.

Bonus Pouncy said she was offered a $100,000 bonus by Massey if she could get Sen. Jim Preuitt's vote. She said she considered that offer off the table because she did not land his vote. Pouncy said her salary working for Massey was about $65,000 a year.

Big possibility "That's a big possibility," Pouncy said when asked if she said Massey was an "arrogant prick who always wanted to control things." Earlier in the week, Massey said he would be surprised that Pouncy called him an "arrogant prick." He said they had a good relationship. Massey said he did not disagree with Pouncy's assessment about "running the show." Wired or stupid State Sen. Steve French, R-Mountain Brook, acknowledged asking someone if Smith, the senator from Slocomb, was wearing a wire or if she was stupid. "I was trying to make sense of the conversation she had with me," French said discussing the contributions Smith said were available if he voted for gambling legislation. French said he thought people could be wearing wires to record conversations.

On paper When answering a question about the amount of money contributed in his primary race, French said they were both Republicans -- "at least on paper." French lost in the Republican primary to Slade Blackwell of Birmingham.

Very disappointed When asked about Republican adviser Monica Cooper also being paid by McGregor, French said, "I was very disappointed to learn that." He said, if he had known, he would not have wanted her in Republican Caucus meetings, especially when they discussed gambling.

Relying on 'Team McGregor' Feaga, when some attorneys were talking about having one attorney and it being difficult to go through thousands of pages of documents turned over late, said that the defense attorneys and their clients have a joint defense agreement. "We know they are all relying on Mr. McGregor," he said referring to the team of lawyers McGregor has assembled. At least eight attorneys to date have argued on McGregor's behalf during the current case.

Begging "I know I got my knee pads out here judge," federal prosecutor Steve Feaga said pleading for the judge to allow them to use documents brought in late.

Second income Legislative analyst Ray Crosby, a defendant in the case, deposited $81,000 from McGregor, according to a prosecutor.

Outcast Pouncy said Massey was excluded from lobbying strategy sessions by other lobbyists because they did not like him.

Dear friend FBI Agent George Glaser, when asked by an attorney for lobbyist Tom Coker, said Preuitt told him Coker was a dear friend of his, was one of the best lobbyists in the state, that Coker had visited him when family members died and was not sleazy like some other lobbyists. Coker, who was a lobbyist for McGregor, is a defendant in the case.

Sore thumb When asked by an attorney for Preuitt, Pouncy admitted that she had never seen a contribution of $2 million.

"That would stick out like a sore thumb on any form that has to be filed" and is "unheard of," Preuitt attorney Ron Wise said to her. She agreed. Pouncy has said she offered Preuitt $2 million.

Papa Preuitt Massey said Preuitt was kind of like his grandfather with his "idiosyncrasies." Old school Massey said he thought Preuitt was "old school" and would not wear a wire to record his colleagues. Massey said wearing a wire against his colleagues was faux pas.

Bothersome Massey said he has been bothered by knowledge that all of his conversations from jail, including those with his wife, parents and sons, are recorded and that they are available to defense attorneys and prosecutors.

He said he thought his conversations with his wife were protected and that he does not like people listening to his sons and hates the thought of his sons holding back talking to him now that they know they are being recorded. Massey said they discussed private matters. Massey's wife, who was in the courtroom along with his parents while he was testifying, was emotional when her husband was talking about their sons.

Off the record Glaser said it requires special permission for FBI agents to record interviews. He said it is practice for one agent to write a report and then for other agents who were there to review it before submitting it.

Glaser, who has been an agent for 14 years, said he has had hundreds of interviews similar to his one of Preuitt and never recorded one. Glaser said he did not play a wiretap for Preuitt in the meeting because the FBI was still conducting the wiretap operation, that it is illegal to disclose them during the operation, and that he was not even allowed to listen to wiretaps at that point.

Major influence "I gathered he had a lot of control and influence over that PR firm," Massey said of Gilley talking about Kirt Webster and Associates. Clients for Webster include Hank Williams Jr., Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Judds, Jamey Johnson, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Wrangler and Cracker Barrel.

Massey said Gilley and Webster were close.