Academic

Alabama Attorney General's Office Under Federal Investigation

By Dan Filler

Politics in Alabama is rough stuff.  And so is law.  Governor Don Siegelman went to jail on corruption charges for conduct that is at most a tick or two beyond S.O.P. in the Yellowhammer State. Now it appears that the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama has a grand jury investigating misconduct in the Alabama Attorney General's office.  Let's face it: it's a big deal when the Department of Justice starts to investigate a state Attorney General.    And here the investigation is being headed up by Alice Martin, the sitting U.S. Attorney and a Bush appointee. 

Troy King, the AG, is a controversial character.  First  there were those Crimson White  letters he penned during law school: "Currently, AIDS is the most behavior-oriented disease known to mankind. If this nation's current purveyors of perversion would refrain from committing sodomy they would unquestioningly be spared the ravages of the disease. To argue that Jesus Christ condones these acts is ludicrous and hardly even deserves a response. Perhaps, Jesus never addressed the issue of homosexuality because the horror of Sodom and Gomorrah still echoed across the ages like the deep rumble of judgment."

Then there was the kerfuffle about his sexual orientation. 

Now an insider suggests that the grand jury is looking at "investigations by King's office of individuals as well as issues related to gambling."  Translation? 

Is King's office punishing enemies through the use of the AG's power?
Is it preferencing particular gambling interests  for improper reasons?

Who knows the validity of the claims.  But it's more political ugly in a state that's kind of used to it.

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on March 10, 2009 (boomark / email).