Gambling Issue Becoming Too Personal For Alabama Govenor Bob Riley

News Type: Event — Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:01 PM EDT

In the state of Alabama, the Attorney General, Troy King, and the man who put him in the AG position, Governor Bob Riley, are at odds over the electronic bingo gambling issue. Riley has taken that disagreement to a new level, according to King.

King has now taken issue not with the governor's stance on the issue, but the way Riley is going about making sure his way is the way of the law. King has filed a brief that explains his position on the matter.

"Filing a brief was not something I wanted to do, but it was something I felt I didn't have any choice but to do,' said King, "...all I am here to say is I have been entrusted with the office of the attorney general and what is occurring right now is an attempt to strip away powers that have belonged to the attorney general since 1819."

Governor Riley has made no secret of his desire to rid Alabama of what he believes are illegal electronic bingo machines. A judge recently disagreed with Riley's interpretation of the law, and ordered the state to give back over 100 electronic machines to White Hall.

The governor has now appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court, and that is where King is drawing the line. They both have acknowledged that the raid on White Hall was done for testing purposes for future raids, and King simply wants the power the governor has trusted him with.

"State law 36151 says the attorney general, the attorney general shall attend to all appellate matters on behalf of the state. I believe that means that only the attorney general can decide if the state is going to appeal a case," said King.

The governor's office, as has been the case throughout the electronic gambling debate, refuses to accept that the machines are being operated legally. Therefore, they have issued this response to King's statements.

"If the attorney general doesn't enforce the law, then who will if not the governor?" The governor has made the head of his recently developed Gambling Task Force, David Barber, an assistant attorney general, and that is not sitting well with King who believes only the attorney general has the authority to name himself an assistant.

"At this point, the governor is going to battle anyone who differs in opinion from himself on this issue(gambling)," said observer Michael Krenshaw, "so far, he has battled his own attorney general, various other lawmakers, and now he is going after a judge who ruled the electronic machines to be legal. The gambling issue may have just become too personal for Governor Riley."

April 16, 2009
Posted By Larry Rutherford
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com

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{"commentId":6544533,"authorDomain":"dhardy8207"}

Southern Bell

Too add alittle more to the saga, the latest news here in the state is that the same attorney that represents the state of Mississippi's casino's governing board is also representing the Gov here in some gambling issues.

The state of Mississippi makes mad money off Alabama residents in all their many casinos. While our roads, highways, bridges, schools, etc. fall apart, he is keeping casino gambling out of Alabama so Mississippi can reap the reward of citizens here who wish to gamble. All while he looks like the poster child for the religious sector here!

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#1 - Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:06 PM EDT

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Gambling Issue Becoming Too Personal For Alabama Govenor Bob Riley

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