Wednesday, March 17

11:30am – 1:00pm

Speech, Republican Women of Coffee County

LOCATION: Enterprise Country Club. 3000 Ozark Highway. Enterprise, AL

Thursday, March 18

6:00 pm

 Speech, Talladega Republican Party

LOCATION: Timber Ridge Golf Club. 101 Ironton Road. Talladega, AL

Friday, March 19th

7:00 am

Radio interview,  News Radio 1440 Montgomery, First Call show

Saturday, March 20th

7:00am- 9:00am

Speech, Republican Men’s Club

LOCATION: Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Road Southwest, Huntsville, AL

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“I am humbled by the votes I received at the Jefferson County GOP straw poll. I truly appreciate the strong support and encouragement from Jefferson County voters. There could not be a clearer sign that voters want a change in the office of Attorney General. We appreciate the hard work of the committee and Chris Brown in the organization of this event,” Strange said.

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Attorney General Troy King painted a large bulls eye on himself during a radio interview aired in February, when King pronounced that his campaign is not accepting money from gambling interests.

Following that declaration; Luther Strange who wants King’s job ordered members of his campaign to do some digging.

“When he (King) made that commitment it was incumbent on us to go back and see if he had taken any. And we were surprised to find that it was almost $200,000 that we could trace, and possibly up to $350,000.”

Strange has placed the findings on his website and is calling on King to return money accepted indirectly from gambling interests through political action committees.

But King speaking Thursday on 105.5’s The Steve and Leah Show deny’s any knowledge of gambling dollars contributed directly or indirectly to his campaign.

“We don’t take gambling money and people assure you that it’s not gambling money. I don’t know what more you can do. You go through the filings, you look through the paperwork to make sure… it is very very difficult to track money through the PAC system in Alabama.”

But according to records on file with the Alabama Secretary of State provided by the Strange campaign and verified by CBS 42 King did accept PAC money that had recently seen significant contributions from gambling interests, mainly by Milton McGregor.

According to State records King received $2,000 dollars from “Enviro PAC” and $2,500 from TEC PAC on January 6th.

Then another $5,000 was accepted from TOC PAC on January 11th.

All three PAC’s received a total of $37,000 from Milton McGregor owned dog tracks in Macon and Jefferson Counties on December 30th 2009.

Those contributions make up 60% of the total contributions to Enviro PAC, 70% of the contributions to TEC PAC and and 68% of donations collected by the TOC PAC.

But King maintains that he’s unaware of these donations.

“We have done our due diligence before we took it, we’ve not solicited it from gambling interests and when we’ve been able to identify that there’s the appearance that there might be a source we have sent it back. And, I don’t know what more you can do.”

On December 29th King returned $10,000 to Talladega PAC and $1,000 to JDC PAC after learning that contributions to those PAC’s had come from the Porch Band of Creek Indians and Ronnie Gilley Enterprises.

The Poarch Creek Indians operate Windcreek Casino in Atmore and Ronnie Gilley Enterprises operates Country Crossings resort in Dothan.

Read More from Phillip Ohnemus, and watch the video at CBS42.com

Luther Strange Campaign Calls on King to Return Gambling Money

BIRMINGHAM, Ala– Public records show that at least $190 thousand in
campaign contributions from gambling operators, slot machine
manufactures and their lobbyists were funneled to the Troy King
campaign through a series of PAC to PAC transfers.

On February 18, 2010, Mr. King told radio listeners that he would
return contributions made to his campaign if it were shown those funds
came directly or indirectly from gambling interests.  Research of
public records clearly shows the trail of money from gambling
interests to political action committees to King. There are two clear
recent examples of how this happened.

In December, two separate companies run by Milton McGregor paid over
$100 thousand to three different PACs, which in turn sent King nearly
$10 thousand only days later.
Ronnie Gilley, owner of the Country Crossing development, gave $12
thousand to two PACS which later cut checks to King’s campaign when he
could legally take campaign contributions.

There are more than two dozen similar transactions revealed by public
records on file with the secretary of state’s office. Those records
are available on our website, www.LutherStrange.com.

In King’s February 18 radio interview on WERC’s Steve and Leah show,
King was asked by host Steve Shannon, “Have you accepted any funding
for your campaign for attorney general from anyone with gambling ties
or interests with any of these casinos?”

King answered, “We have said last time, and we have said this time, we
don’t take gambling money. I can tell you unequivocally that I have
not asked any gambling interests for money and if I knew that they
gave me money, I would return it.”

In his statement about returning money, King included contributions
from PACs which accept donations from gambling interests. “It doesn’t
matter,” King said of those PACs. “The perception is that there is a
lot of gambling money in it, it could be, and there’s no point in
having the perception. That is inconsistent with what we are saying.”

“Gambling interests have propped up Mr. King’s campaigns, back to
2006,” said the Luther Strange campaign manager, Jessica Garrison. “If
he sticks to his pledge of returning direct contributions from
gambling interests, he needs to return at least $190 thousand. If he
gives back all of the contributions he has accepted from PACs which
have received money from gambling operators, slot machine manufactures
and their lobbyists, King needs to return nearly $400 thousand to keep
his public pledge.”

Garrison also called on King to release all loan documents related to
a $300 thousand loan to his campaign disclosed in January.

“At a time when so many Alabamians are having trouble getting bank
credit, it is inconceivable that any lender would provide an unsecured
loan to a campaign,” Garrison said. “Given the questions raised by
these documents, we know a reputable bank such as ServisFirst would
have required King to guarantee the loan.  Considering recent
questions raised about a $500 thousand bank loan to Ron Sparks’
gubernatorial campaign, it would only make sense for Mr. King to
disclose how he was able to qualify for so much money or to explain
who helped him secure the loan.”

More information, including visual charts and public records of
gambling interest contributions to King’s campaign, is available by
visiting www.LutherStrange.com. The direct link is,
http://www.lutherstrange.com/king-gambling-money

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Alabama Expects Higher Standards

BIRMINGHAM, Ala– Luther Strange issued the following statement regarding the grand jury investigation of Troy King:

Surely the people of Alabama expect a higher standard from their chief law enforcement officer than simply not being indicted by a federal grand jury. The public deserves an attorney general who is at work fighting public corruption instead of defending his office for months with over $100 thousand of tax payer money.

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February 17, 2010

Contact: Jessica Garrison, Campaign Manager 205-568-4371

Timing, Message from King Shows Desperation, Inability to Lead

BIRMINGHAM, Ala– Republican candidate for attorney general, Luther Strange issued the following statement regarding the Attorney General’s news conference today:

“Troy King reminds me of the groundhog. He came out briefly, saw his shadow and went back in. Looks like we might have at least six more weeks of electronic bingo. Once again today, Troy King took no stand on the legality of gambling, and that’s exactly what the gambling bosses wanted him to do. Milton McGregor called and Troy King came out to do his bidding. He blamed everyone from the courts to the Governor for the confusion around the issue – confusion and a law enforcement crisis created by his actions approving these establishments and then walking away from the consequences. Mr. King’s awkward statement ignores recent clarity by the Supreme Court on the bingo issue, while his continued unwillingness to carry out his elected duties enables casino bosses to keep breaking the law. He isn’t taking over the gambling task force because he knows he can’t. This is what happens when you play politics with the attorney general’s office. Mr. King is now desperate to keep the support of his gambling friends, and he is desperate to win support from the people who oppose illegal gambling. He is trying to have it both ways on this issue and we all know it doesn’t work that way. Alabama deserves a real leader in the attorney general’s office, not someone who will continue to embarrass our state.”

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“Luther Strange follows up Sunday’s TV ad with a radio spot going up in the Wiregrass today that takes it right to incumbent Troy King. The ad begins, “Troy King has created a law enforcement crisis. King has compromised the Attorney General’s office.”

Click here to listen to the radio ad.

Source: http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2010/02/08/luther-strange-on-offensive-with-radio-ad/

BIRMINGHAM, Ala– Republican candidate for attorney general, Luther Strange, issued the following statement in response to recent public comments made by Troy King:

“I am deeply disturbed by what I believe are disparaging remarks from Attorney General Troy King about our state’s law enforcement officials. Mr. King accuses law enforcement professionals of, “midnight raids, with gun-toting armies” for their work on the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling. He says their work is, “a dangerous path to put us on,” in a Mobile Register interview. Is this the kind of behavior we should expect from the person responsible for enforcing the laws of our state? I would never criticize law enforcement officials for doing the very difficult job they have of enforcing the laws of our state. It’s their sworn duty, not just their civic duty, and they deserve our constant thanks. The members of the Task Force on Illegal Gambling are doing their jobs, regardless of their personal opinions. Shouldn’t we expect the same from the attorney general? What’s doubly troubling is the fact that Mr. King has refused to enforce the law, leaving the job to a special task force the governor had to create because King is either unwilling or unable to carry out his responsibilities due to a compromising relationship with gambling interests. This is the first time in memory an Alabama governor has had to create a task force to enforce the law — a job we pay the attorney general to do. We should all be disappointed in Mr. King’s vocal disrespect for Alabama’s law enforcement professionals. I admire the blind justice provided by police officers, troopers, sheriff’s deputies and court officers who put themselves on the front lines of public safety and law enforcement. Anything less than respect for these men and women is unacceptable.”

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January 25, 2010

Contact: Jessica Garrison, Campaign Manager 205-568-4371

Luther Strange Campaign Schedule, Week of January 25

BIRMINGHAM, Ala– The Luther Strange campaign for attorney general has announced the following events planned the week of January 25, 2010:

Monday, January 25 — Millbrook

5:30 pm

Speech

Elmore and Autauga County Republican Party

Millbrook Civic Center, 3168 Park Circle, Millbrook, AL 36054

Tuesday, January 26 — Foley

11:30 am

Speech

South Baldwin Republican Women

The Gift Horse Restaurant, 209 W Laurel Ave Foley, AL 36535-1918

Tuesday, January 26 — Mobile

6:00 pm

Speech

Azalea City Republican Women

Wintzell’s Oyster House 605 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602

Thursday, January 28 — Opelika

6:30 pm

Visit

Republican Gubernatorial Forum

Opelika Performing Arts Center, Opelika High School, 1700 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801

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