Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Testimony in Alabama's gambling corruption trial on Friday showed the multimillion dollar impact that one casino owner planned to have on Alabama's elections last year before his Dothan operation was forced to close.
The testimony by Country Crossing casino lobbyist Jarrod Massey also showed he didn't always talk with state senators about campaign contributions that he considered bribes for votes.
Massey said his boss, Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley, promised to give him $2.7 million to distribute to political candidates for Alabama's 2010 elections, but he only got about one-tenth of the money.
Massey said the money was intended for supporters of pro-gambling legislation, but Gilley was leaving the distribution of the campaign donations up to him.
"I was to move it as I saw fit," he testified.
Massey spent his seventh day on the witness stand, making him the longest witness in the 6-week-old trial. He will testify more on Monday.
Massy said Friday he had a handwritten agreement with Gilley in September 2009 for the $2.7 million. He said he was supposed to receive the money over 10 months, but he only got between $270,000 and $300,000.
Gilley's Dothan casino was forced to close in January 2010 to avoid a raid by state police, and Gilley began having financial problems, according to his earlier testimony in the case.
Despite the shutdown, Gilley still had a big financial impact on the 2010 elections before he and Massey were indicted in October along with the nine people currently on trial.
Campaign finance reports filed with the secretary of state show Gilley and his companies donated $473,317 to campaigns. Others associated with Country Crossing, including contractors and lobbyists, added another $350,700, which pushed the total to $824,017.
Massey and Gilley have pleaded guilty to offering bribes to legislators and have testified in the trial of nine defendants accused of using campaign donations to buy and sell votes on legislation. The bill would have protected electronic bingo casinos from raids by the governor's gambling task force if it had been approved by the Legislature and by Alabama voters.
During the testimony Friday, defense attorneys trying to portray Massey as an untrustworthy witness got him to reveal more about his financial relationship with former Democratic state Rep. Terry Spicer of Elba, who is not among those indicted.
Massey testified earlier that he paid Spicer about $3,000 a month in cash for seven years for helping him get lobbying clients, including Country Crossing. He added Friday that he supplied Spicer with tickets for Alabama and Auburn football games, Bama Jam music festivals in south Alabama, and minor league baseball games in Montgomery, as well as paid for him to go to Fort Myers, Fla.
"I have been bribing Mr. Spicer for some time," Massey told the jury.
Testimony earlier in the trial showed Spicer has been interviewed by the FBI.
Spicer was defeated for re-election last year and is now school superintendent in Elba. He has not returned phone calls seeking comment.
Massey was questioned Friday by defense attorneys for former Democratic Sen. Larry Means of Attalla, former Republican Sen. Jim Preuitt of Talladega, and independent Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb. All three senators voted for pro-gambling legislation supported by Massey and Gilley in March 2010, but Smith was the only one of the three re-elected to the Senate in November 2010. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Massey testified that Jennifer Pouncy, a member of his lobbying firm who has also pleaded guilty, told him in March 2010 that "Senator Means wants $100,000 for his vote." But he acknowledged that he never discussed the $100,000 with Means and he gave nothing to Means after a $5,000 donation in June 2009.
In a phone call recorded by the FBI in March 2010, Massey talked about then-Republican Sen. Jim Preuitt being promised campaign donations, polling, an experienced campaign worker and a fund-raising concert for his support. But he testified Friday that none of that was ever delivered.
He testified Gilley gave him $40,000 to contribute to state Sen. Smith for her 2008 congressional race because she had become a supporter of his project. The amount violated federal contribution limits, so Massey said he lined up several people, wrote them checks and then got them to write checks to Smith's campaign for a total of $23,000. Then he kept the rest to pay income taxes on the $40,000.
When asked by Smith's attorney if she knew about his maneuvering and that Country Crossing was behind the donations, Massey said, "I was not aware of her having any knowledge about the money." But he added that he felt like he played a role in bribing her.
Under questioning by Smith's attorney, Massey acknowledged that even though he arranged donations for her, he was critical of her in conversations with others involved in the gambling issue.
"I didn't think she was the brightest state senator," he testified.
The testimony by Country Crossing casino lobbyist Jarrod Massey also showed he didn't always talk with state senators about campaign contributions that he considered bribes for votes.
Massey said his boss, Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley, promised to give him $2.7 million to distribute to political candidates for Alabama's 2010 elections, but he only got about one-tenth of the money.
Massey said the money was intended for supporters of pro-gambling legislation, but Gilley was leaving the distribution of the campaign donations up to him.
"I was to move it as I saw fit," he testified.
Massey spent his seventh day on the witness stand, making him the longest witness in the 6-week-old trial. He will testify more on Monday.
Massy said Friday he had a handwritten agreement with Gilley in September 2009 for the $2.7 million. He said he was supposed to receive the money over 10 months, but he only got between $270,000 and $300,000.
Gilley's Dothan casino was forced to close in January 2010 to avoid a raid by state police, and Gilley began having financial problems, according to his earlier testimony in the case.
Despite the shutdown, Gilley still had a big financial impact on the 2010 elections before he and Massey were indicted in October along with the nine people currently on trial.
Campaign finance reports filed with the secretary of state show Gilley and his companies donated $473,317 to campaigns. Others associated with Country Crossing, including contractors and lobbyists, added another $350,700, which pushed the total to $824,017.
Massey and Gilley have pleaded guilty to offering bribes to legislators and have testified in the trial of nine defendants accused of using campaign donations to buy and sell votes on legislation. The bill would have protected electronic bingo casinos from raids by the governor's gambling task force if it had been approved by the Legislature and by Alabama voters.
During the testimony Friday, defense attorneys trying to portray Massey as an untrustworthy witness got him to reveal more about his financial relationship with former Democratic state Rep. Terry Spicer of Elba, who is not among those indicted.
Massey testified earlier that he paid Spicer about $3,000 a month in cash for seven years for helping him get lobbying clients, including Country Crossing. He added Friday that he supplied Spicer with tickets for Alabama and Auburn football games, Bama Jam music festivals in south Alabama, and minor league baseball games in Montgomery, as well as paid for him to go to Fort Myers, Fla.
"I have been bribing Mr. Spicer for some time," Massey told the jury.
Testimony earlier in the trial showed Spicer has been interviewed by the FBI.
Spicer was defeated for re-election last year and is now school superintendent in Elba. He has not returned phone calls seeking comment.
Massey was questioned Friday by defense attorneys for former Democratic Sen. Larry Means of Attalla, former Republican Sen. Jim Preuitt of Talladega, and independent Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb. All three senators voted for pro-gambling legislation supported by Massey and Gilley in March 2010, but Smith was the only one of the three re-elected to the Senate in November 2010. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Massey testified that Jennifer Pouncy, a member of his lobbying firm who has also pleaded guilty, told him in March 2010 that "Senator Means wants $100,000 for his vote." But he acknowledged that he never discussed the $100,000 with Means and he gave nothing to Means after a $5,000 donation in June 2009.
In a phone call recorded by the FBI in March 2010, Massey talked about then-Republican Sen. Jim Preuitt being promised campaign donations, polling, an experienced campaign worker and a fund-raising concert for his support. But he testified Friday that none of that was ever delivered.
He testified Gilley gave him $40,000 to contribute to state Sen. Smith for her 2008 congressional race because she had become a supporter of his project. The amount violated federal contribution limits, so Massey said he lined up several people, wrote them checks and then got them to write checks to Smith's campaign for a total of $23,000. Then he kept the rest to pay income taxes on the $40,000.
When asked by Smith's attorney if she knew about his maneuvering and that Country Crossing was behind the donations, Massey said, "I was not aware of her having any knowledge about the money." But he added that he felt like he played a role in bribing her.
Under questioning by Smith's attorney, Massey acknowledged that even though he arranged donations for her, he was critical of her in conversations with others involved in the gambling issue.
"I didn't think she was the brightest state senator," he testified.
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