Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange is reportedly lining up 'sledgehammers' of justice to dismantle the state's thick wall of public corruption.
In yesterday’s edition of the Birmingham News John Archibald wrote an interesting column about the coming ‘Hammer Time’ attitude of the AG’s office on the heads of elected officials who betray the public trust and defile Alabama Codes of Ethics. We’d like to think this might be a real turning point by the AG's office, but we suspect it’s really more of a velvet hammer in a political glove.
Archibald is a sharp tack and not much gets past his BS detector. He’s done some of the hardest hitting commentary to ever come out of the Birmingham No News and we are admirers of his courage to report what others will not.
That said, it’s no secret that Big Luther is positioning himself for the biggest office in Alabama--the Governorship. And even though we’d like to believe that this get tough hammer he’s swinging by assembling these hard tack men to go after corruption is solid, we’re just not buying it.
Big Luther has far too many Rileyites in his office and the former he wouldn’t know what ethical behavior is if it whacked him the head governor has high praise for Strange. That’s enough to set off more than a few pings of alarm in our minds.
And let’s not close to door on the recent article by Bob Martin that reveals the alleged oversight of foreman Riley in building Big Luther’s new house:
Riley called Strange to his office to lay out what he wanted from the new attorney general … and what he would do in return … a classic quid pro quo offer.Riley told the incoming attorney general that he wanted him to “protect” his children and also direct any business he could to them. For that, Riley told Strange, he would support him for governor in 2014 and raise $2 million for his campaign.
No Alabama politician does anything with public fanfare, as this is, without their own agenda being the real driving force, we’ve seen that bear out time and time again.
The true test of what Luther says and what Luther does will be if there is an increase in stepped-up investigations into his own party members that end in convictions, not administrative window dressing and a slap on the wrist with a promise you won’t do it again re-alignment.
“Hammer time” in Alabama? Maybe.
But we think it’s going to be more of a pick and choose who to whack ball-peen hammer of authority rather than the non-discriminating iron fist of tough justice for all.
EXACTLY!
ReplyDeleteNow that's pounding the nail of truth down flush.
Big Luther could start with the corrupt senator from Fairhope--Lee "TRIP" Pitmann.
ReplyDeleteHe is a disgrace to the republican party and the state of alabama.
BIG LUTHER STRANGE (doesn't sound like a good guy) could start by investigating Trip Pittman Tractor's Check book entries after he deposited the check for $639k.
ReplyDeleteI doubt he does it.
Trip is a "rising star" in the AL Republican Party.
More from Bob Martin----
ReplyDeleteRiley also pressed Strange to hire his legal advisor at the time, Sonny Reagan, and put him in charge of all issues involving gambling in the Office of Attorney General.
“I want you to hire Sonny to be your Kenny Steeley” Riley told Strange.
Steeley was the lawyer in Troy King’s office who handled gaming issues. Riley also predicted the term of his successor Robert Bentley would be “a disaster” making it easy for Strange to be successful in 2014.
I am told there were six witnesses to this conversation.--------
This sure looks like Riley is attempting to keep the lid on his gaming bust as he is walking out of his state capitol life. It is interesting to see this would be a part of his agenda. Very revealing. And in the presence of 6 other people, I would say he is using some kind of bravado.
I think he's a thug.
Now let's see what Big Luther really is.
Boy he's kicked off his campaign for office early hasn't he? The ink is barely dry on the one he just entered or rather was catapulted into by the Mules.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this Max. It ain't passing the smell test with me either.
Strange stated, "My first priority, once elected, will be to restore excellence, integrity and the highest ethical standard to the office."
ReplyDeletePut your words to work Luther and go after Pittman.
Watch how many democrats get whacked while the mafia repubs get elevated.
ReplyDeleteThe old guard does not like watchdogs of justice scrutinizing their activities so this is a non starter from the word go. Luther wants to give this image of saving Alabama from itself, which is corruption to it's core, and any justice this wrecking crew meters out will be specific to targeted democratic enemies and political miscreants who refuse to play by the rules of the machine.
ReplyDeleteMost likely that will be democrats and others who work against the power structure, because these new (same old) republicans are out to do more than crush them, they want to make them extinct.
It is no accident that Luther is talking tough-look how well that worked during the elections. This is going to be the new mantra now from a lot of politicians who are really simply mice that roar.
Once a Riley hand maiden always a Riley handmaiden. Even you idiots that defend Bobby have to admit his eight years was not without controversy and a whole lot of inside baseball.
ReplyDeleteStrange got his hat handed to him in 2006 for his Washington lobbying past and now all of a sudden here he is our new AG. With a little help ($120,000) from Decatur Attorney Barney Lovelace who makes a living off of seeking tax abatements for industry.
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time any regular small business in Alabama got so much help from our state government and politicians?
This is a bunch of hooey and campaign ads in the making.
Was it smart for Alabama to elect a Republican attorney general with ties to the petroleum industry--just months after the BP oil spill?
ReplyDeleteProbably not.
Luther Strange has been in office less than a month, and he already is showing signs that he will try to limit Big Oil's damages from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Folks who know about Strange's ties to the Birmingham law firm of Bradley Arant Boult and Cummings will not be surprised that he might take questionable actions that stand to favor corporate interests.
Strange's first curious move came last week when he announced that he has dismissed private attorneys brought in by predecessor Troy King to handle lawsuits connected to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Strange will head up the litigation himself.
Louisiana AG Caldwell is hotter than a bowl of gumbo about Judge Barbier appointing Strange as the lead attorney for all the Gulf States in a private meeting with no input from the other AGs.
I'd say this does not bode well for Strange to be a fair arbiter for all who commit wrongdoing in Alabama. The citizens of the Gulf Coast won't benefit from Strange that's for certain.
I can just sing it now...
ReplyDeleteBang, bang Luther's hammer came down upon their chosen heads....
Good way to get rid of the ones who are off key with the established chorus of corruption.
Talk is cheap.
ReplyDeleteAnd when a fromer lobbyist is talking I tend to be very skeptical of what they're trying to sell.
Comment via email:
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if Luther Strange hired Alice Martin's former thug to start going after folks in the Bentley admin. If so, he's probably doing it at Riley's behest. What better way for Luther to become governor in 2014 than to conduct a few political prosecutions against the Bentley admin? And what better guy to pull it off than Matt Hart, a former Martin thug?
Luther and Bentley will eventually square off...he goes after Pittman and looks like the golden boy and Doc Bent gets the shaft for helping the supposed coverup.
ReplyDelete