Alabama: GOP leader helps pay Sen. Ross' legal fees

GOP leader helps pay Sen. Ross' legal fees
Written by Phillip Rawls The Associated Press

The Republican leader of the Alabama Senate said Thursday he helped pay the legal bills of a Democratic senator acquitted of all charges in Alabama's gambling corruption investigation.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh of Anniston donated $5,000 from his campaign fund to the legal de­fense fund for Sen. Quinton Ross of Montgomery be­cause "I wanted to help him get through this period of his life."

Ross said he and Marsh have a good working rela­tionship, but he was surprised when the Senate's top Republican told him that he wanted to help.

"I appreciate the fact he was able to rise above the politics and view the humanity side of the issue," Ross said.

In October 2010, Ross was indicted on bribery and conspiracy charges accusing him of seeking big cam­paign contributions from casino interests in return for voting for pro-gambling legislation. Ross' attorneys ar­gued that he had always supported and sponsored pro- gambling legislation, so he had no votes to sell for brib­es. The jury agreed and ac­quitted him on charges in August 2011. The jury could not decide all the charges against six other defendants who are scheduled for retrial starting Monday.

After Ross' indictment, several friends set up a trust fund to help defray his legal bills, and they sent letters to legislators, lobbyists and oth­ers seeking donations. Be­cause of state laws, Ross can't be involved in the fund­raising, and he said he doesn't know who gives un­less they happen to mention it to him, which Marsh did.

Marsh reported the dona­tion in a year-end campaign finance form. Two Demo­cratic senators also reported contributions. Sen. Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile list­ed $1,000 and Sen. Hank Sanders of Selma $500.

Marsh, the first Republi­can to serve as the Senate's president pro tem since Re­construction, said he has tried to reach across the aisle and work with Demo­crats, but that was not the reason he donated $5,000.

"I felt in my heart it was the right thing to do," he said.

Independent Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb, for­mer Democratic Sen. Larry Means of Attalla, and former Republican Sen. Jim Preuitt of Talladega are among the six facing retrial Monday.

Marsh said he has not helped pay their legal bills.

"I would not feel comfort­able being involved in any kind of funds when charges are pending, but once Sena­tor Ross was acquitted, I felt it was time to step up to help," he said.

The chairman of the Ala­bama Republican Party, Bill Armistead, said he was un­aware of Marsh's donation until he was contacted by The Associated Press, and he declined comment.

Ross has used his cam­paign fund to pay his legal bills, which is permitted by state law. He filed campaign finance reports showing $110,000 in payments over the last two years to the firm of Montgomery attorney Lewis Gillis.

Ross estimates his legal bills will exceed $1 million. The finances of the defense fund have not been made public. One of the trustees, Jerome Gray of Montgom­ery, said Thursday the fund­raising has been slow and the legal bills may never be paid in full.

"The economy is just ter­rible. It's hard to get people motivated to write checks," he said.