Suit claims bingo raids thwart black voters

tuscaloosanews.com ^ | 7-31-10 | Dana Beyerle

[smokingfrog]

Local politicians in Greene and Macon counties have joined to file a federal lawsuit claiming that Gov. Bob Riley’s bingo raids are perpetuating racial injustice by thwarting the intent of black voters.

The suit, filed Thursday, was intended to reopen Greenetrack and avoid a raid at Victory-Land in Macon County. The raid appears imminent after the state Supreme Court on Friday gave the governor’s anti-gambling task force a green light.

Voting rights lawyer Ed Still is one of several attorneys who filed the lawsuit over the June raid and confiscation of more than 800 bingo machines from the Greenetrack bingo casino in Greene County.

Still said on Friday that Riley never got clearance from the U.S. Justice Department to take action against Greene and Macon counties, which have local constitutional amendments approved by voters authorizing bingo.

The lawsuit’s premise is simple: Riley’s actions reversed voter intentions in both counties, effectively canceling their votes.

In response, Riley spokesman Jeff Emerson said Friday, “Any claim the task force’s work is targeted to just one area or against one particular group is absolutely false and does not square with the facts.”

It appears likely the lawsuit will stretch into the administration of the next governor, either Democrat Ron Sparks, a supporter of bingo gambling, or Republican Robert Bentley, who opposes it. The candidates said they want voters to decide whether to allow bingo in Alabama.

[dennisw]

I can’t argue with you. Getting tribal status to open up casinos is being anointed same as getting affirmative action. You are now in a preferred class. You can immigrate here from from Nigeria or Guatemala and get preferences and affirmative action over poor white who have been here for centuries and fought in our wars

Now the Hawaiian natives are getting bills through Congress to grant them tribal status so they can open casinos so they can get that weekly check. So they can sit on their butts all day eating Cheetos, sipping beer and smoke cigarettes and take drugs (preferably meth)..... At least that’s how it looks on Dog the Bounty Hunter’s show

[commish]

Also, to clarify Bryan’s excellent post #10:

The “VIDEO BINGO” machines in question are LITERALLY the same Slot Machines that are in casino’s all across the country.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE is the front face of the machine has the letters B I N G O over the top of the 5 wheels and the machines are named whatever SLOT name they have with the word BINGO added to it.

[garybob]

THe State Attorney General is Troy King (D).

For the record, Troy King is a Republican. Appointed state AG in 2004, he won reelection in 2006. This past June, no doubt as a result of his opposition to Governor Riley, he lost the Republican primary for State AG by a large margin.

[michy9999]

Very good summary of the facts with one exception. Attorney General Troy King is a Republican, not a Democrat. His dispute with Governor Riley cost him the nomination in the recent primary.

[hampdenkid]

Asians first, then Hispanics. Right now, the Obamunists are still trying to play the “people of color” card to lure Hispanics to their side. Won’t work in the long run, but they’ll pick up some support in the short run — before turning on the Hispanics like cobras.

As to the Asians, that could be the beginning of the end for the negro milk-em-dry strategy. Asians and Arabs have absolutely no tolerance for the negro scam game. Asians will, for the most part, simply nod and turn away. Arabs make the negroes wish they were still back proudly beating bongo drums in their beloved Africa.

[Bryan24]

Thanks for the correction. I guess I went brain-dead on King’s political affiliation. I voted against him (not for Strange) in the primary. Our AG race sucked wind this election cycle.

[Bryan24]

Thanks for the correction. As I told garybob above, I guess I went brain-dead on that fact.

Both of you are correct. The gambling interests tried to make Riley out to be the villain, but it is clear that Riley is only enforcing the law that King will not.