Victoryland remains closed and its operators claims it is due to AG Luther Strange’s conspiring.
U.S. Attorney George Beck, who serves as the chief federal lawyer in Montgomery, sent a letter to Gov. Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange to ask the two men to clear up confusion over gambling in the State of Alabama. Gov. Bentley and the attorney general he appointed have been at odds over casino-style gambling which takes place at Alabama’s racetracks.
George Beck’s letters cites the differences in the way gaming machines are treated in the state’s private non-tribal racinos and its tribal casinos. Beck also cited complaints he has received from the state’s citizens, who believes enforcement of gaming laws are uneven and unfair.
The Reason for the Question
The US Attorney said he was asking for more information on a voluntary basis, meaning neither is compelled to answer, after he received a request from Mayor Johnny Ford of Tuskegee.
The letter was sent on Thursday, but no reply was forthcoming from either public figure by Friday afternoon. The two men have stated publicly two very different viewpoints on Alabama’s gaming machines. In fact, the two men have been at odds on the matter for over 2 years.
2013 Raids on Race Tracks
In 2013, Attorney General Luther Strange ordered raids on three non-tribal racetracks: VictoryLand, Mobile Greyhound Park, and Birmingham Race Course. These racetracks had slot machines on them, which Luther Strange suggested were illegal. In all, he confiscated over 3,000 gaming machines in his raids.
Luther Strange brought a casino a civil forfeiture case against VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, which was in court until June 2015. Judge William Shashy dismissed the case against Milton McGregor on June 25, 2015, and told the state to give back VictoryLand’s 1,600+ slot machines and over $263,000 in cash which was taken from the premesis.
Judge William Shashy
At the time, Judge Shashy wrote in his opinion, “The state could not and did not offer any substantive reason why it permitted this state of affairs to continue at other facilities, while taking its present stance against the same operations at Victoryland…The propriety of the State of Alabama electing to currently pursue action against only one facility is of great concern.”
Shashy concluded in his opinion, “It is apparent at the present time that the State of Alabama is cherrypicking which facilities should remain open or closed. This Court refuses to be used an instrument to perpetuate unfair treatment.”
Luther Strange Vowed to Fight the Decision
Luther Strange said he would continue to pursue legal recourse against VictoryLand, even suggesting at a time he might ignore the judge’s orders. Gov. Robert Bentley spoke out against his own attorney general’s policies, and eventually gave orders to state troopers they were not required to follow Strange’s orders to conduct raids on the racetracks.
This seemed to leave law enforcement of the racinos on the local level. With the state’s governor backing one policy and the state’s number one law enforcement official backing the opposite policy, this has led to a great deal of confusion among mayors, sheriffs, and other officials in the state. Thus, it makes sense that George Beck would receive concerning letters and ask for a clarification.
Robert Bentley Scandal
None seems forthcoming. Gov. Robert Bentley might have an excuse for ignoring the letter from George Beck. In the later stages of the week, he was facing a serious scandal involving rumors of an illicit affair with a former aide, Rebekah Caldwell Mason.
The scandal threatens to destroy the governorship of Robert Bentley. Unlike the recent charges Donald Trump made against Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, media outlets got ahold of recordings in which Gov. Bentley and Rebekah Caldwell engaged in discussions which clearly seemed to be of an intimate nature.
Recordings of the Couple
AL.com reports that Governor Bentley called his aide “baby” 12 times, while calling her “sweetheart” 3 times. He also mentioned kissing his aide 4 times, including a kiss each on her left ear, “sweet ear”, and “plain old ear.”
For his part, Gov. Bentley acknolwedged wrongdoing (though he did not specify its nature), and said he had spoken of this conduct to his family two years ago. Rebekah Caldwell Mason, though she is no longer a member of the staff, is a paid consultant for the governor’s office.
Impact on Gaming Laws
The scandal could cause Robert Bentley to resign, though he is trying to weather the political storm. If he is forced to resign or is weakened politically, VictoryLand and its fellow racinos might lose its most powerful protector. If the governor were to resign, the Attorney General likely would remain in office for the length of the governor’s term.
