Ford files ethics complaint against attorney general
By: | Opelika-Auburn
News
Published: November 06, 2012
Published: November 06, 2012
Credit: Cliff Williams Opelika-Auburn News
Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford
Hours after being officially sworn to his eighth term as
Tuskeagee’s mayor on Monday, Johnny Ford filed an ethics complaint with the U.S.
Attorney’s Office against Alabama Attorney Gen. Luther Strange, alleging that
Strange has received more than $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions from
Porch Creek Indian casinos in Montgomery and Wetumpka.
“Now that he is attorney general, he has used his office to
try and intimidate, discourage … Victoryland from reopening,” Ford said Tuesday,
asking the U.S. Attorney George L. Beck to empanel a grand jury to investigate
the matter.
Located in Shorter, only a few miles from Tuskegee,
VictoryLand casino was closed in 2010 along with Dothan’s Country Crossing after
the legality of electronic bingo machines at the facilities was challenged.
Ford said his latest complaint against Strange is actually
the second he has filed since filing an initial complaint against him with the
Alabama State Ethics Commission two weeks ago.
Contacted by the Opelika-Auburn News on Tuesday, Joy
Patterson, a spokeswoman for Strange, said Strange had not seen Ford’s letter
and had no comment.
Ford said the type of electronic bingo machines that
VictoryLand uses are in compliance with the state’s laws.
“No court has voted that those machines are illegal,” Ford
said. “The only person who has said they were was (former Gov.) Bob Riley and
his task force. Ford said he also has proof of Strange sending letters to
providers of such machines, threatening that if they made them available to
VictoryLand and other non-Indian gaming facilities in the state, that they would
be penalized. Riley, his son, Rob, Birmingham attorney Eric Johnston and state
Sen. Bryan Taylor are also named in Ford’s complaint.
Ford, who said he plans to meet with Beck after he’s had a
chance to review the letter, predicted VictoryLand will reopen by the end of the
year.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment