Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A state senator on trial in an Alabama corruption trial was caught on tape telling an indicted casino owner that he wanted to help the businessman get pro-gambling legislation passed and that he needed his help in a tough re-election campaign.
"There is nothing I want to do more than help you," Larry Means told Victoryland owner Milton McGregor in the call on March 22, 2010.
Means, a Democrat from Attalla, added that he was facing a tough Republican opponent.
"I'm probably going to need a bunch of help," Means told McGregor.
"You've got me," McGregor replied. He said he would do "whatever it takes" to make sure Means got re-elected, but he never specified what that meant.
"You've never been anything but straight with me and I appreciate it," Means told McGregor at the end of the call.
Means ended up voting for the pro-gambling legislation when the Senate passed it on March 30, 2010. Then he lost his re-election campaign in November to Republican Phil Williams.
The phone call from McGregor to Means was one of several thousand the FBI recorded through wiretaps in March 2010 while McGregor and other casino operators were seeking votes in the Senate for a proposed constitutional amendment designed to protect their electronic bingo casinos from police raids. Prosecutors played about 20 of McGregor's calls for the jury Thursday.
Besides Victoryland casino and dog track in Shorter, McGregor, also owns a Birmingham dog track. He made it clear in the calls that his financial fortune was riding on the legislation's approval.
"This is survival," he told one of his indicted lobbyists, Tom Coker, in a call.
McGregor, Means and Coker are among nine people on trial in federal court on charges accusing them using campaign contributions to buy and sell votes on the pro-gambling legislation. The bill died in the House after the FBI announced on April 1, 2010, that it was investigating Statehouse corruption. McGregor's casino, once the state's largest with 6,000 electronic bingo machines, is now closed.
In another taped call played in court, Coker tells McGregor that Country Crossing casino owner Ronnie Gilley had called Sen. Jim Preuitt of Talladega to offer the use of country music entertainers in his re-election campaign. Coker said that was "icing on the cake" to get Preuitt's vote.
"Congratulations on Preuitt," McGregor said.
McGregor said credit should go to Gilley and one of his lobbyists, Jennifer Pouncy.
McGregor then called Gilley to thank him for working to get Preuitt's support.
"We've got some things lined up for him," Gilley told McGregor.
Preuitt, also on trial, voted for the gambling legislation in the Senate. He dropped his Republican re-election campaign last year after the FBI started investigating him.
Gilley and Pouncy have pleaded to offering bribes to legislators and are now cooperating with prosecutors.
In another phone call played in court, McGregor told another casino operator that Preuitt was willing to support their pro-gambling bill if the proponents could arrange for the executive secretary of Alabama Education Association, Paul Hubbert, to remain neutral in Preuitt's re-election campaign rather than helping his Democratic opponent.
"He said, 'If that's the case, you've got my vote,'" McGregor said.
Prosecutors then played another taped call, where McGregor asked Hubbert about remaining neutral.
Hubbert was polite, but made no promises.
"I'll give it some thought and maybe talk with him," Hubbert told McGregor.
Prosecutors also presented records Thursday to show that McGregor paid another defendant, Ray Crosby, $72,000 over two years while he was the Legislature's lead attorney in writing gambling legislation. That was in addition to his state salary of $160,000 annually.
The records showed that Crosby did not initially report the payments from McGregor on the annual financial statements that state employees are required to file with the State Ethics Commission, but he amended his statements to add the payments after the FBI contacted him as part of its investigation of Statehouse corruption.
"There is nothing I want to do more than help you," Larry Means told Victoryland owner Milton McGregor in the call on March 22, 2010.
Means, a Democrat from Attalla, added that he was facing a tough Republican opponent.
"I'm probably going to need a bunch of help," Means told McGregor.
"You've got me," McGregor replied. He said he would do "whatever it takes" to make sure Means got re-elected, but he never specified what that meant.
"You've never been anything but straight with me and I appreciate it," Means told McGregor at the end of the call.
Means ended up voting for the pro-gambling legislation when the Senate passed it on March 30, 2010. Then he lost his re-election campaign in November to Republican Phil Williams.
The phone call from McGregor to Means was one of several thousand the FBI recorded through wiretaps in March 2010 while McGregor and other casino operators were seeking votes in the Senate for a proposed constitutional amendment designed to protect their electronic bingo casinos from police raids. Prosecutors played about 20 of McGregor's calls for the jury Thursday.
Besides Victoryland casino and dog track in Shorter, McGregor, also owns a Birmingham dog track. He made it clear in the calls that his financial fortune was riding on the legislation's approval.
"This is survival," he told one of his indicted lobbyists, Tom Coker, in a call.
McGregor, Means and Coker are among nine people on trial in federal court on charges accusing them using campaign contributions to buy and sell votes on the pro-gambling legislation. The bill died in the House after the FBI announced on April 1, 2010, that it was investigating Statehouse corruption. McGregor's casino, once the state's largest with 6,000 electronic bingo machines, is now closed.
In another taped call played in court, Coker tells McGregor that Country Crossing casino owner Ronnie Gilley had called Sen. Jim Preuitt of Talladega to offer the use of country music entertainers in his re-election campaign. Coker said that was "icing on the cake" to get Preuitt's vote.
"Congratulations on Preuitt," McGregor said.
McGregor said credit should go to Gilley and one of his lobbyists, Jennifer Pouncy.
McGregor then called Gilley to thank him for working to get Preuitt's support.
"We've got some things lined up for him," Gilley told McGregor.
Preuitt, also on trial, voted for the gambling legislation in the Senate. He dropped his Republican re-election campaign last year after the FBI started investigating him.
Gilley and Pouncy have pleaded to offering bribes to legislators and are now cooperating with prosecutors.
In another phone call played in court, McGregor told another casino operator that Preuitt was willing to support their pro-gambling bill if the proponents could arrange for the executive secretary of Alabama Education Association, Paul Hubbert, to remain neutral in Preuitt's re-election campaign rather than helping his Democratic opponent.
"He said, 'If that's the case, you've got my vote,'" McGregor said.
Prosecutors then played another taped call, where McGregor asked Hubbert about remaining neutral.
Hubbert was polite, but made no promises.
"I'll give it some thought and maybe talk with him," Hubbert told McGregor.
Prosecutors also presented records Thursday to show that McGregor paid another defendant, Ray Crosby, $72,000 over two years while he was the Legislature's lead attorney in writing gambling legislation. That was in addition to his state salary of $160,000 annually.
The records showed that Crosby did not initially report the payments from McGregor on the annual financial statements that state employees are required to file with the State Ethics Commission, but he amended his statements to add the payments after the FBI contacted him as part of its investigation of Statehouse corruption.
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