Is it just me, or did the raid on the White Hall Entertainment Center seem just a bit heavy handed? The raid could very well be exhibit "A" in the battle between Attorney General Troy King and Governor Bob Riley over what is and what is not a slot machine. Riley hired former Jefco District Attorney David Barber to head up a task force, and Barber orchestrated the raid to seize almost half-a-Million in cash and a hundred electronic BINGO machines. Barber says the armed raid was necessary because there were armed people in the center. And he asked if you would expect law enforcement to go into a drug den unarmed? But that's the point. White Hall isn't some secret underground gambling den with passwords needed to enter. They advertised their existence and welcomed anyone old enough to come on in. Why didn't the task force simply serve notice, seize the machines and go to court? Barber says the machines could have been changed from slot machines to BINGO machines if they had given notice. OK, how about stationing some undercover witnesses inside, then serve notice, and watch for any evidence of messing with the machines until the "raiding" party arrives with the legal papers?
Montgomery lawyer Jock Smith has filed suit on behalf of some of the employees working at the time of the raid. Barber says the raid was a success because nobody was injured. The Alabama Supreme Court will eventually decide the case.
As aside: a TV report on a BINGO related bill introduced by Pratville Representative Mac Gipson started with this line: A bill has been introduced in the legislature to ensure that raids like the one in White Hall don't happen in Elmore or Autauga County.
Mac Gipson's bill certainly does that, but it does so by banning electronic BINGO games in those counties. I'd say it was an awfully inverted way of explaining what the TV story was about.
Gipson's bill excludes Native Americans, as it must. The state has no right to regulate the electronic BINGO gaming on tribal lands unless a "compact"-- an agreement-- is reached between the state and the tribe. That would include the tribe agreeing to pay taxes on the gambling income, something they don't do now. No Alabama Governor has negotiated such a pack, primarily because it would then allow the tribes to offer full casino gambling.
Oh no, Tim. This was not heavy-handed at all!
ReplyDeleteRiley's goon squad running into an establishment weapons drawn with bullets chambered and hammers cocked is NOT heavy-handed.
Heavy-handed is when Riley's goon squad runs into an establishment weapons drawn with bullets chambered and hammers cocked wearing all-black ninja-like suits, helmets, throwing tear gas, stun grenades, wielding M-16s, Uzis and other fully automatic weapons of war.
You see Tim, what you don't understand is that little old ladies, other females, old men and a handful of others are SERIOUS dangers to the power status quo in Montgomery... in the guvnuh's manshin.
Just like the little old Black seamtress Mrs. Rosa Parks, the folks're sitting down. THAT, my friend, is a THREAT!
Oh yeah!
We saw video on the teevee news that showed the cashiers raising their hands as if they were being robbed at gunpoint!
Oh! WAIT JUST A DOG-GONE MINUTE! THEY WERE!
ONLY THIS TIME, THE THUGS WERE WEARING BADGES.
And there were plenty of other shots showing Billy-Bobs and other doofuses running in with WEAPONS DRAWN, and aiming.
Welcome to the Alabama Storm Troopers Association!
This time, Riley's gone too far!
Why not let the people vote?
You know, Tim, it's a good thing Governor Riley had you fired.
ReplyDeleteOr else, you'd be asking pesky questions about the White Hall raid to Troy King, Riley, David Barber and host of others, only to hear you tell us something like, 'APTV attempted several times to contact the offices of the governor and attorney general without success. Jefferson County District Attorney Barber's office returned our phone call only to remark that his office doesn't comment on on-going prosecutions.'
And what would we think of you asking our legislators in the House and Senate about their recent vote to DEREGULATE the telephone industry for private residents?
Finally!
At last, Alabama is safe without you to ask the hard questions of the powerful, requiring them to give answers to the weak!
By the way, I don't know who Jacque Smith is, but the attorney in this case is Jock Smith. Accuracy matters...
ReplyDeleteYes! Accuracy matters, and it's a good thing Riley' Raiders weren't too accurate when they rushed in weapons drawn on helpless women and the elderly!
ReplyDelete"...pay taxes on the gambling income..."
Gee whiz, with all that money, we could almost establish a scholarship fund for worthy and deserving high school students to attend the trade school, technical college or university of their choice!
Say, that's almost reminiscent of what Governor Siegelman wanted to do!
Wait, wait! We have more to gain by keeping Alabamians IGNERNT!
Please sir, may I have some more?
Maybe Governor Riley could give that Michael Scam, er, Michael Scanlon/Jack Abramoff/Choctaw Indian money to start a public scholarship fund.
Thanks for the heads up Mark, you are correct of course. Did I ever say accuracy doesn't matter?
ReplyDelete