Yet Tuesday, like a disgusting re-run from Bob
Riley’s reign - replete with storm troopers - Luther Strange ordered a raid of
Milton McGregor’s VictoryLand. Despite countless measures to ensure the
legality of their operations and backed by national gaming experts, Strange
seems to think his arbitrary, politically-driven opinions trump the facts and
the law. Like crashing a crack house, Alabama State Troopers confiscated money
and machines, even blocking the road to the business and cutting its
electricity.
Conveniently enough Strange was out of town for the festivities. Cowards are fairly predictable like that, though.
Conveniently enough Strange was out of town for the festivities. Cowards are fairly predictable like that, though.
And here we go again….
I have no doubt that Strange and his cohorts will
sit on VictoryLand’s stash indefinitely without taking any legal action, and terrifying
customers and employees was just a proverbial cherry on top. Who needs to take
matters to court when you can bleed a business dry by holding its revenue and
means of operation hostage?
Frankly I don’t even need to offer an argument here.
Answering these simple questions would suffice… and I’m talking to you, Luther
Strange:
-How is electronic charitable bingo illegal if it was
proposed in the Alabama Legislature, passed by both houses, cleared the
governor’s desk and placed on the ballot for the public approval? Why would the
Alabama Secretary of State place something illegal on the ballot?
-How is it illegal when it was approved by voters?
-How is it illegal and yet has remained on the books
as part of Alabama’s Constitution for a decade?
-If it’s illegal then why wasn’t Milton McGregor
arrested? Why weren’t his employees hauled in? Why weren’t VictoryLand
customers arrested?
-And most importantly, if it’s illegal then where is
the ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court stating so and striking down
Amendment 744?
Shameless grandstanding and B-movie theatrics
through which an official claims something is illegal – with no proof, with no
court ruling and clearly at odds with an Alabama Constitutional Amendment – doesn’t make an activity illegal. If that
were the case, I would take this moment to declare that harassing lawful
businesses, abusing power, squandering taxpayer dollars and pandering to
Alabama voters is illegal. Then I would drag Luther Strange away in handcuffs,
condemning him as Alabama’s most notorious offender.
About the author: Joseph O. Patton is the
editor-in-chief and founder of the Capital City Free Press. He is a former news
editor for the Coosa County News, lead reporter for the Montgomery Independent
and editor-in-chief of the AUMnibus, the student newspaper of
Auburn-Montgomery. Patton is also the creator of and writer for the satirical
news radio segment "Goat Hill Gossip," which previously aired on WAUD
in Auburn, Alabama and has appeared on several Central Alabama radio programs
as a political analyst.
Copyright © Capital City Free Press
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