Birmingham, AL Mayor arrested on corruption charges.

[CatFish Driver]

Corruption at its finest.

I doubt he'll be able to Marion Barry his way back to his job.

[Silverback]

He's a DOUCHE. He just gave a 13 year old girl a $10,000 contract when she addressed a planning meeting with some ideas for improving a couple of parks. Considering this county is on the verge of bankruptcy he should've given her a happy meal voucher. We'll be better without him deciding how the lion's share of money should be spent.

[Silverback]

we anticipated something happening soon especially knowing Alice Martin's days in office are numbered with the swearing in of a new president in late January -- just a little over a month from now. We are glad the mayor will finally have his day in court.

Because this is a racial issue and not another case of a dirty politician who has no idea how to run anything?

[smokn38]

I wonder if he's related to Kwame Kilpatrick.

[Silverback]

The thing that chaps my fourth point of contact is, our county council has been struggling to pay for a sewer system. Now it comes to light that the mayor (who was the the president of the county commission at the time) might have accepted payment while negotiating the bond deal for the sewer system. This is the same sewer system that the county commission suggested that residents on a septic system should pay for.

A 101-count indictment does not mean the guy is guilty, but it does mean that the prosecutor believes that there is a preponderance of evidence suggesting that he is guilty.

He's a charlatan and a dumb ass at the very minimum!

[Silverback]

Here's a snippet about the "Sewer bond issue"

While Langford was head of the Jefferson County commission, he engaged in a variable rate auction, and bond swaps, to raise money to help improve the county's sewer system. During that time, Langford is alleged to have received $235,000 in bribes from Blount, some routed through Al LaPierre, to help influence the bond deals. According to the indictment, William Blount helped Langford receive a $50,000 loan, paid for jewelry, including a Rolex watch, and designer clothes. Blount's firm earned $7.1 million in fees from the bond deals while LaPierre was paid $219,500 by Blount for his help the scheme. Jefferson County banks made approximately $120 million by encouraging the county to refinance nearly all of its bonds using swaps. The result of the bonds has resulted in a $3.2 billion sewer debt which now threatens to bankrupt the county. The government is currently seeking $7.6 million in forfeiture from the three men.

LaPierre pleaded not guilty and will be released on a $50,000 bond secured by property. Langford also pleaded not guilty and has been released on a $50,000 non-surety bond. He is forbidden to travel outside of the Northern District of Alabama without prior approval from the court.

[Earthpig]

I bet it was all Bush's fault.

RLTW
EP

[Silverback]

I bet it was all Bush's fault.

RLTW
EP

According to Bubba and Sleepy Doc ?

[Mason]

This guy in the past 10yrs has been on City Council, Mayor of Fairfied (Birmingham Suburb), County Commissioner, and now Mayor of Birmingham. There was problems with his last election with the guy he ran against. It all ended too quickly and swept under the rug. He has promised the city the world. Has plans to build a Dome and lots of other things. The Birmingham Public School system falls further and further, the Jefferson County teachers are having to take pay cuts because they cant aford to pay them and keep taking out lines of credit to cover their asses. All the while Birmingham continues to climb in homicides and all forms of crime. Jefferson County, is going to go bankrupt over this huge sewer bond. They havent paid for it yet, and have been waiting months for some form of bailout, but it isnt coming but the bills for it do, and its not getting paid. He has tried to revamp the downtown area. Mon-Fri 9a-5p its busy, after that, its a ghost town. Nobody wants to be there and its not safe. He has promised to grant every wish it seems. He is famous for starting something and not following through with it. I am glad I live just across county lines and this doesnt have that large of an effect on my family.