On a (depressing) local level, Birmingham, Ala. and the citizens of Jefferson County are awaiting the sound of the trumpet that may just end some of its most recent public woes. Later this month, Mayor Larry P. Langford will face a jury with multiple counts of bribery and conspiracy as the long-awaited federal trial begins. Last year, the FBI made their arrest and broadcast their attempts to take the Birmingham mayor to court regarding a number of charges that include bribery. Two of the co-defendants in the trial, as we all expected, plead guilty to falsifying records. This quote comes from the Birmingham News regarding their dealings.
"The government alleges Langford used his influence to steer county financing business to Blount, resulting in Blount getting $7.1 million in fees. In return, prosecutors say, Blount showered Langford with $236,000 in cash, clothes and jewelry."
Their plea agreements represent the writing on the wall for the mayor's gloomy forecast for the future.
Wade Kwon, blog journalist and virtual buddy to the PRAYZE Report, has designed a nifty timeline of daily celebrations featuring Birmingham's biggest crooks for the entire month of August. Of the honorable mentions, former Healthsouth founder Richard Scrushy (whom once had a street named after him, thanks to Langford) is a no-brainer and lobbyist Al LaPierre, convicted last month, is a close buddy to Langford. Rev. Gregory L. Clarke, pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church, also made the list (yes, even pastors) for his conviction of filing false tax returns owing a total of $35,600 in back taxes. Kwon is saving Langford for the 31st. No surprise there since Langford, if convicted, will be the first mayor of the city ever to be removed from his honorable position. Just when Detroit's Kwame Kilpatrick reign of terror was just a figment of our imagination.
[CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER, I]
Birmnigham's Biggest Crooks [Wade on Birmingham]
31 crooks in 31 days? [Birmingham Weekly]
Blount expected to change plea [Birmingham News. AL.com]
Mister McCoy Can't Take the Heat [PRAYZE Report]
Birmnigham's Biggest Crooks [Wade on Birmingham]
31 crooks in 31 days? [Birmingham Weekly]
Blount expected to change plea [Birmingham News. AL.com]
Mister McCoy Can't Take the Heat [PRAYZE Report]
Check Your Pastor [PRAYZE Report]
3 comments:
Thanks for the shout out! Why be depressed when you can mock?
"Just remember, when you ever fall from grace, remember how you treated others, because that's probably how you're going to be treated in return."
(What YOU said in YOUR Whitney Houston story) Very hypocritical. You always profile those that fall in the church instead of saying youre praying for them or hope they survive.
I Hope your public fall will be full of God's mercy, unlike the mercy you give others.
Good day.
@ Chris: How in the heck am I being hypocritical? I report the news. If you make the headlines, I am entitled to reporting it. I'm a music journalist - been doing this for almost a decade. Apparently you are new to my work because you take one or two lines that fit your agenda and choose to call me a hypocrite. I recall you slashing me once before on my own blog once before about your friend and some of the other local authorities in Birmingham. What I said was the truth - and had links to point them out. Look, everything that happens in the headlines, I report. And every now and then, I will throw out my opinion in an editorial. I am entitled to free-speech. Now which one of the "crooks" in the commentary above are you good buddies with? By the way, I wish I could take credit for it, but I didn't write the aforementioned story. Wade on Birmingham (http://www.wadeonbirmingham.com) did.
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