FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2010
Contact: Jessica Garrison, Campaign Manager 205-568-4371

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

##