The Epic battle between Terri Sewell versus Shelia Smoot

 

Well, the sides have been defined and it seems that the battle to claim the helm of the Democratic nomination for Alabama's 7th congressional district seat.  Jefferson County commissioner and former WBRC "FOX6" consumer affairs reporter, Shelia Smoot, has made her amends to grab the endorsements of the black political interest group Alabama Democratic Caucus (ADC) aka "Joe Reed & Co." along with the Alabama Education Association (AEA) also co-headed by Reed and Paul Hubbard.  According to the Birmingham News, Smoot also has received the endorsements from South Carolina congressman and Democratic House Whip James Clyburne along with Homeland Security chairman Bennie Thompson.  Whereas, attorney and womens' rights activist Terri Sewell has lined up the endorsements from feminist interest group Emily's List, equal pay advocate Lily Ledbetter,  Alabama black interest group New South Coalition (headed by Alabama State Senator Hank Saunders), and amount of unofficial support from labor unions.

The lines have been drawn who supports whom, but the real question is who's the better candidate for Congress?  I can speak on this personally since I live in the district.  It's Terri Sewell.  She has clearly defined herself as a social progressive that stands on the right side of gay rights issues, women's rights, economic development, health care reform, equal pay for both genders, and financial reform.  Meanwhile, Shelia Smoot has been mired with baggage like Erykah Badu's song "Bag Lady".  Smoot has been on the Jefferson County Commission since 2002, and since then they have soared in bond debt from county-owed sewer system (and bond swaps administered by former county commission president Larry Langford), sued numerous times over personnel quips involving Smoot, and let's not forget when Jeffco couldn't even make payroll where Smoot along with the other commissioners with the exception of Bobby Humphryes refused to take a paycut.  

I'm absolutely loving Sewell's haters like RedEye on her little double-dutch short bus blog (this is same fool whom I've had to shut down numerous times on Left in Alabama for being so damn irrational and illogical while debating ).  I love this line:

"Sheila Smoot has street creds, which may be why she has so called "negative baggage". Anytime you are active in the community you will have favorable and unfavorable opinions."

First of all, it's "street cred", there is no "s" on "cred" (***EYE ROLL***), but I had to laugh at this fool because this person is another one of those retards that I talk about constantly suffering from delusions of misinformation and impropriety.  How in the hell does she have "street creds"  when all she has ever done is worked as a news station report and now a county commissioner that shows up at events so that her face is seen.  REALITY CHECK: Smoot's going to be unemployed without a full-time job for the first time in 8 years after December and needs this gig in Congress as an income.  She hasn't been that good of a commissioner considering she knew about state law that requires the posting of commission meetings minutes and county documents, but didn't even attempted to do it until the Birmingham News exposed her and the rest of the commission.

Then there is Smoot's shill on Left in Alabama, gradyw, whom was officially outed by one of the blog's moderators after constantly be relentlessly basing accusations about Sewell while blatantly omitting Smoot's baggage.

Yeah, it's pretty obvious along with that Sewell is the wiser choice since she isn't baggage ridden as Smoot.  Then all one has to look at the endorsements of the Reed & Co. and AEA to make continue to second guess on Smoot's candidacy.  I'm shaking my head at James Clyburne, but then yet doesn't he have his own state's Democratic party's foolishness to worry about?  Also I don't care at all for the New South Coalition aka "Saunders & Co.", but if it will get Sewell elected over Smoot then so be it...

Well, former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford was sentenced to 15 years to prison

Another day, another one goes DOWN.  This morning, federal justice Scott Coogler sentenced former Jefferson County Commissioner and Birmingham mayor Larry Langford to 15 years in federal prison for his conviction of 60 counts ranging from tax fraud to money laundering while as Jefferson County Commissioner.  Meanwhile, Birmingham is suffering another blow to its reputation as a place because of the ignorance and lack of discernment of the electorate.

In my own word, another nigga went down for their own stupidity and greed, and has to now pay for it.  If he had any sense he would walked away from that situation, but was blinded by his own ego and greed.  SMH

Cooper called it, and that splaboo Bell did say it and Langford endorses the splab as well!

SMH, I knew it!  Oh boy, I knew this would happen!  Patrick Cooper has called out the racebaiters in the race calling him a "slave trader from Mobile who will bring back plantation politics to the city".  Yeah, that so-of-a-bitch William Bell did it because I can't stand Lay Low Brown for a heap of horseshit.  Cooper called him out on WJLD 1400AM and WATV 900AM this morning for these remarks that splaboo said at the Sunday prayer breakfast in November.  Bell didn't deny those allegations either, saying he didn't name his opponents in particular, but Cooper is the only Mobile native on the ballot.  Let's not forget how Carole Smitherman called Shelia Tyson a "pawn for the over-the-mountain" because she used to be the campaign manager for the 2007 mayoral campaign for Patrick Cooper.  It's so interesting how he is willing this time to call them out because it is imperative for his campaign to do so.  If you want to win politically bodyslam them Lay Low Brown or Smitherman if you have to...

Then late last night, word is that Larry Langford has formally endorsed that splaboo Lay Low Brown like it will help him win (which it won't).  This fool is actually believing that him endorsing anybody will bring good things to their name politically speaking?  Langford, I guess you are a bigger fool than I ever thought you were for the nearly decade I have known you.  This going to be LONG ASS WEEK from next Tuesday because this shit is about to hit the fan because some are so deseperate for any attention.

OK, now I'm getting annoyed

The list of buffoons running for the mayor of Birmingham is getting too long and borderline ridiculous.  12 CANDIDATES for a special election?

I say this because in the 2007 actual mayoral election nobody wanted to run aside from 90% career politicans, but all of asudden these crop of village idiots want to pop up and run for the special election on December 8th.  I'm all for civic involvement, but 2/3rds of these fools are running to be funny or try to say "yeah, I want to fix the city".  My proverbial question is, where the fuck were you in 2007 when you knew Langford was going to damn near destroy the city then?  Oh yeah, they were too busy being apathetic or "going-along-to-get-along" because they didn't want to rock the boat.  Yeah, this another reason why I get so annoyed with this crap because they could have done more THEN instead of NOW...

At the rate this bull is going I'm going to stop being on the fence and fully endorse Cooper because these other idiots have proven to me that they are as useless as a flat tire.

UPDATE: Two more morons added their names to the hat, City Councilor Steven Hoyt and former mayor Richard Arrington, but he claims he's contemplating over the weekend before formally announcing...  Regardless, the Old Guard wants to maintain status quo in Birmingham so that they can remain in control of the city, but they are apart of the problem than solution.  I sometimes absolutely hate some black folks at times especially splaboos...

RANT: Smoke and Mirrors

Now this is a little time has passed since the former mayor of Birmingham has been convicted and the acting/interim mayor Carole Smitherman received the helm to lead Birmingham (a week), but who's counting...  It's time to talk about the "smoke and mirrors" that has been occurring here for nearly 2 years with the city's government. 

The facts are the city of Birmingham is $20.8 million in the hole because of the shuffling and shifting of funds by formerly Langford-appointed Finance Director Steve Saylers, and this didn't include the expenses such as utilities bills, phone bills, and maintenance of street draining.  Also the City Council was of purvey of this with the new financial software similar to Quick Books that kept up with the city's reserves and expenditures.  However, after all the grappling and arguing all summer over the Fiscal Year 2010 budget was passed.  Although now acting/interim mayor Carole Smitherman knew the numbers were fuzzy after the software said the city was $28 million in the hole, but allowed it to occur. 

Now on to the smoke and mirrors:  Langford was fraudulently elected the mayor of Birmingham after he claimed that his official resident was a loft on 3rd Avenue South in the City Center.  This is although he is mail and bills and personal vehicle of choice his 2007 black Cadillac Escalade was regularly seen at his home with his wife, Melva, in Fairfield.  In other words, he got that loft to claim residency, but wasn't living there no more than I own a home in Bermuda. 

On the other hand, the use suspects who are the black "leaders" of Birmingham were standing behind his candidacy such as Alabama State Representative John Rogers, community activity/full-time race-baiter/radio personality on WATV Frank Matthews, and the president of the Birmingham chapter of the SCLC Calvin Woods.  All of them claiming his platform of toughness on black-on-black crime, demanding more parental physical discipline of their children, and slogan "Let's Do Something" was more than enough to get Birmingham were it needs to be. 

Oh yeah, the inauguration day for Larry Langford was full of familiar faces of the business community including UAB President Carol Garrison, Regions Financial CEO Dowd Ritter, Protective Life CEO John Johns, and Alabama Power CEO Charles McCrary.  However, they knew he was a fraud and all, but stood by him because they wanted to keep their place at the proverbial table so they will have a say in the decisions.  SMH.  Now, I understand you have to swallow your pride and bite the bullet, but why would you show up at the inauguration if you knew or had a hint of all this?  You keep the relationship cordial and professional, but don't act like all is right.  Then again, where were these people during the trial over the 2 weeks it was occurring?  Oh yeah, they were ducking and covering or distancing themselves from Langford for the sake of their professional reputation.  Actually, most of them were at the Birmingham Business Alliance conference compiling the new plan I mentioned, but they were doing that "ducking and cover". 

Carole Smitherman and most of the City Council wasn't any better.  Council President Smitherman was too busy trying to play both sides of the proverbial "battle" between the City Council and the Mayor, so she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.  However, it didn't really help because then Mayor Langford would still snap at her like the rest of the Council over the details of any plans he would have.  The usual whiny Roderick Royal, Valerie Abbot, and along with outgoing Councilman Joel Montgomery would question him over the details and specifics, but none of them would ever step up to the plate and forge a political coalition with the majority of the Council to really stop the Mayor.  This brings me back to Carole Smitherman, who has stood by the actions of the Mayor without a doubt and now as acting/interim mayor herself didn't even try to condemn Langford for his actions or his appointed staffers like Sayler.

The overview: Now that all this has come to fruition that all this crap was going down, now Smitherman wants to say the city could have been in financial ruins.  Too little, too late, lady.  You saw what was going on and when you had your chances you never condemned the former mayor and now you are trying to save face.  Likely story...

Sayler resigned on Monday, former Langford-appointed chief-of-staff Deborah Vance-Bowie was fired today, and more likely on the way.  Now the real question, why didn't you fire all of them on day one, Friday?  Also when are you going announce you're going to recluse yourself from the special election?  I say this because after the tactics of race-baiting during her campaign against Shelia Tyson during the District 6 council seat race and the fact that you used the same firm as Langford did during his campaign, Maxim, you shouldn't even dare try to go there Council President Smitherman.  You better keep doing what you should do while you are acting/interim mayor, but you burnt your bridge with a lot of progressives like me with that bull...

J.P. Morgan Chase has to forfeit $647 million of Jefferson County's debt

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged J.P. Morgan Chase yesterday for its involvement in the infamous bond swaps that led to former Jefferson County Commissioner and former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford being charged for all 60 counts of federal bribery and corruption along with investment banker Bill Blount and Al LaPierre. J.P Morgan has to pay Jefferson County $50 million up front and forfeit $647 million in termination fees of the $4.2 billion debt owed to them from Jeffco.  The $50 million will be paid towards displaced county employees, residents, and sewer rate payers. 

Of course, the bold and oftentimes out of control black Democrat, Shelia Smoot, said that she plans on exploring the options of suing J.P. Morgan.  Other commissioners including William Bell and Jeffco Commission President Bettye Fine Collins agrees. 

However something tells me that those lovely lawyers that sued the county to repeal the occupational tax will beckon towards getting some of that money so they can get the money back for the taxpayer, i.e. they are trying to get their share which 60% of the settlement.  Also Smoot and others are following what others have done in other municipal governments involving bonds and loans where they feel that they were getting a raw deal with this and sued to get off the hook.  Maybe Jefferson County can settle all this of this $3.6 billion left over in debt with J.P. Morgan.

We'll see...

Birmingham is in the hole thanks to Steve Sayler and Larry Langford...

Well, not a surprise to me, it turns out that Birmingham is $20M in the red although Steve Sayler's, former mayor Langford's handpicked finance director, after the budget report was released yesterday. 

It's gets even better, Sayler stepped down as finance director yesterday morning after acting mayor Carole Smitherman noticed that there were conflicts between the data the City Council received and Sayler's data.  Then Smitherman has spent the better part of the last 24 hours trying to save face by saying she will do everything in her power not to eliminate any jobs to get the city out of the red.   Oh what a web we weave...

Now, I don't directly blame Smitherman for Langford's fools because she can't control what the mayor did when she was Council President.  However, it has been known amongst us in the know that Sayler was involved with the bond swaps at Jefferson County, so when he crept to the City of Birmingham with Langford most smelt trouble.

Smitherman and the City Council will have to figure out what needs to be done because the Fiscal Year 2010 budget was stuffed with numbers from the Fiscal Year 2009, so everybody is in the dark on this.  Now according to media reports, Smitherman, the City Council, and a number of business leaders will be apart of a task force to figure out how Birmingham can fill this $20M hole without laying anyone off.

I say heads should roll including Deborah Vance-Bowie since she was over Sayler and requested the reports over the summer when the budget was up for debate.  Also Sayler should be prosecuted for placing fuzzy numbers in the place of real numbers to make this look good to Langford who was swearing Birmingham had a $28M surplus.  As much as I want to see things funded, repaired, and constructed, but you can't put the city in the hole to get what you want.  You gotta pay the bills and fund the already existing things first then explore what else you can do afterwards with the final balance.

Birmingham population problem and some possible solutions

In midst of all this controversy with the removal of the mayor Larry Langford and the speculation of who will be the next mayor, the U.S. Census' American Community Survey (ACS) division released their numbers for Birmingham this week.  According to the ACS, the 2008 numbers for the city of Birmingham has 209,639.  However, that greatly conflicts with the numbers that were released by the U.S. Census' 2008 population estimates of 228,196.  One says the city lost 14% of its population whereas the other says only 6% population loss compared to the 2000 numbers of 242,820 inhabitants. The only bright side to this is that population loss has slowed compared to other decades and Birmingham remains Alabama's largest municipality, but the gap between the 2nd largest, Montgomery, is now only about 10,000 to 20,000 depending on which numbers you use.

Regardless, the city is still hemorrhaging population and it's not just white flight as it used to be.  There are a number of black inhabitants that are leaving or bypassing the city although because of the leadership void, crime, and other urban issues that plagues Birmingham.  As usual, the ignorant posters of the Birmingham News website posted their comments talking about blacks being the blame to former mayor Langford and crime.  However one poster's comment stood out the most to me:

Posted by eleoh

October 31, 2009, 12:37PM

What I find so funny is that people want to blame political parties (which really have nothing to do with mayor/city council elections) on the downfall of this city. Quit trying to express your personal disdain! You have corrupt republicans (choose anyone of Bush's closest "friends) and you have corrupt democrats (like Blagojevich) It's politics! The real reason why Birmingham is in a decline is that whites moved away from the city in a mass exodus after Arrington was elected. A lot of these whites also relocated their businesses outside of town (some within a month afterward) and blacks kept in him in office for far too long. I actually had a guy complaining to me about not having a white mayor in the past 30 years! I can appreciate his honesty in him stating the fact that there are some people out there that are frustrated about that alone if nothing else. Yes this leadership could use a good overhaul (and it's coming), but the funny thing is for all of the crap that people talk about over the mountain and Huntsville, they sure love to come here on the weekends and act like imbeciles at these bars and nightclubs. If Birmingham is so dangerous and so bad and run down, why don't they stay where they are? Oh that's right beacuse it's boring as hell in those places that they live in so they have to talk their appeal up so that no visitors would want to hang themselves upon arriving at their bland little town! If these folks have such a haven, then don't further taint our city with your existence. Just stay out if it is that repulsive around here! We don't need the further negativity! Furthermore I am sick and tired of these "keyboard ronin" that talk trash that has either been fuelled by falsehoods or hearsay. If you have not experienced something then you should remain silent about it before you are called out on it. As for those thinking that Birmingham should be like Trashville (there's enough racism here. Why would we want to be like them?), Hot-lanta, or the "scenic" city (which I've been to all three in the past year and after a few hours I got pretty bored with them all) has it ever occured to you that this would be the problem with Birmingham. It's having a bloody identity crisis! Perhaps if this city could profit from it's own place in history (and yeah I'm including civil wars and civil right movements....we can all learn from those mistakes) then it could probably do a lot better than it has been doing. But people are too busy trying to perpetuate their b.s. superiority complexes, their unfounded angst, and their self serving agendas to do anything positive. Once again I'll say it:
"The Birmingham Pledge, as beautifully written as it is, is still b-llsh-t!"

The poster hit the nail on the head because none of these other Southern cities like Nashville or Atlanta can be used as models to fix Birmingham.  Nashville does have a huge racial issues, but that's whole 'nother entry and doesn't have as large black populous as Birmingham.  Then Atlanta sold its soul to the become the mammoth it is today, although it has demographic percentages similar to Birmingham, it would be damn near impossible for Birmingham to achieve the amount of investment as Atlanta in this day and age.  In other words, Birmingham has to find its own solutions to its population and image problem.

Honestly, I don't blame some because Langford was a beacon of controversy with his perverse use of religion to block some things that are vital to the city's revitalization such as allow LGBT groups hold their pride celebrations.  Let's be honest, along with young professional singles, LGBTs are the main individuals willing to locate into a urban core that has been abandoned by middle class families.  Also Birmingham has suffered greatly from a leadership void due to the continuous electing of individuals like Richard Arrington after he outstayed his usefulness/affectiveness as a leader then the de facto city manager Bernard Kincaid and finally the beacon of controversy now former mayor Larry Langford.  After the series of poor choices of mayors, the city as further suffered from business leaving, which were mostly white-owned or retailers too busy trying to chase the majority white households.  That can be overlooked and forgiven because those who left in that aforementioned groups, but none of the last 2 mayors really made it their mission to recruit out-of-state businesses that would have helped Birmingham grow.

In the numbers game, Birmingham for the sake of recognition should try to remain the state's largest city since it is by far the largest metropolitan area with 1.25 million inhabitants in 8 counties.  Only the Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope area is half the region's size with only 540,000 inhabitants, so there is no competition there.  However, in my opinion the city should remain the largest because Birmingham doesn't want to be like Cleveland in Ohio, where it has been dwarfed by Columbus, but still the largest metropolitan region in the state with 2.9 million inhabitants.  The backwards relationship between the 2 cities is interesting since Columbus has the third largest metropolitan area in the state with 1.9 million inhabitants, but is the largest municipality.  Honestly, Birmingham doesn't want wind up as 3rd or 4th in size in the state since 2 of the 'Big 4' in the state around 200,000 and Huntsville is 165,000 or 175,000 (depending on which set of numbers), so if Birmingham doesn't get control on this problem it could come to fruition.

As I see it right now, Birmingham is likely going to bottom out in population around 200,000 like Richmond, Virginia, but unlike Richmond, Birmingham doesn't have 9 Fortune 500 and 15 Fortune 1000 in their region.  Birmingham is only home to 1 Fortune 500, Regions Financial Corp. and 4 Fortune 1000 companies, so we are seriously lacking in the business incubator category.  However, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is located in Birmingham, which is the state's largest employer and is a major hub for medical care, HIV/AIDS and biotechnology research.  There has been some cooperation between Birmingham and UAB with the Innovation Depot located on the western portion of the City Center, but it will take years for it to take-off and create major business spin-offs.  If the city's leadership would work more cohesively with UAB then it could create a major point for research and knowledge-based businesses in Birmingham.  Luckily, there was a state law passed earlier this year that allows the Alabama Development Office (ADO) to recruit more white-collar and knowledge-based business to the state via tax incentives.  Also the recent merger of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, Region 2020, and Metropolitan Development

The leadership should work more diligently towards getting a hold on its crimes, and once again I will used Richmond as a model.  I don't buy into the lists that rank violent crimes per city since, every city has a variety of factors that contribute to its ranking.  In Birmingham's case it's the balkanization of its governmental entities, so empirically speaking Birmingham is actually less dangerous statistically than Chicago, which there have been more cases of random violent crimes although it doesn't rank as high on list like Morgan Quitno. 

Birmingham can fix its problems, but it will take time, patience, diligence, effective business recruitment, fixing of infrastructure, and good leadership.  If we can achieve those things then Birmingham could greatly slow 

RANT: Birmingham, there is nothing to cheer about yesterday's verdict

I have to give it up to John Archibald, Birmingham News columnist, because he said it best, there is sadness.  I'm saddened that Birmingham has come to this point because there is so much anger, confusion, and sadness.
In 2007, the city had a chance to elect somebody different and that person was Patrick Cooper, but chose to elect somebody with name recognition and a group of attack dogs like Frank Matthews among others.  I know Langford, via my late paternal grandmother who was a major socialite in Birmingham, and he has always been a man that was troubled and a beacon of controversy even back then.  When he was elected Birmingham's mayor in 2007 I said these exact words, "Lord, this is going to be a circus", and low and behold it has been a circus for the past 2 years (to the day).  Langford was a leader of much promise and great ideas, but he let his own ego and greed get the best of him thus the verdict.  I'm the last person to cheer about that verdict because it says Langford and the citizens of Birmingham failed Birmingham by letting this happen again. 

Nobody in their right mind could speculate that Birmingham would be as lost as it is right now, where people like Carole Smitherman is interim mayor (only a month at the most because she can't be reappointed City Council President since she is now mayor and Council President becomes interim mayor).  Smitherman's platform is just as faulty as Langford's since she campaigned against her District 6 opponent with the same tactics that Langford via Matthews did by calling them "not black enough" or "friends with those over-the-mountain".  Those type of politics is what keeps Birmingham from moving forward on a social perspective where politics of divide and conquer rather than politics of ideas to fix the city is pushed forward aren't given a valid chance.  I don't like the most of the "over-the-mountain" elected officials anymore than most socially progressive citizen of these region, but you can't continuously push this divide because you think it's politically expedient to your election.

Black folks need to get it together in Birmingham, particularly those in the western portion where politicos like Arrington (who faced similar charges to Langford back in the 1990s but was acquitted), Langford, Smitherman, etc. have major traction because the color and demographic composition of the area (90% black, lower-income, low education attainment, and very alienated from the political process due to the history of Birmingham).  There you have so many people who are so angry at the system per say that they will vote for anybody that sounds like them rather than seeing that somebody doesn't have to talk or think like them to understand their issues and problems associate them.  The issues that have brought down Birmingham is more racial than anything else on all sides, so there is your problem.  However, unlike our peers in other Southern cities, Birmingham majority black electorate has made its decisions based on name recognition and "blackness" rather than platform and ideas.  This has to cease and desist immediately, and those who were Langford fans shouldn't use this anger to further divide the city by trying to work to elect another socially regressive black politician.

My description to those white folks that seem to hate everything black and Birmingham, screw you.  If you can't be open-minded and see that Birmingham is for everybody and that it matters to you just like those blacks then you are a part of the problem like them.  Too many white citizens want to either have a racially bias perspective on things then they would rather trash talk anybody that doesn't stand with them on their ideology.  Also the majority of them are the ones electing officials in suburban areas that have this "fiefdom" mentality where they have no foresight on how their decisions could affect all of the region if they don't try to work in united front.  You guys are just as guilty as the black folks when it comes to his screwed up political equation where you feel as those somebody disenfranchised you when you chose to run to the suburbs and let the city falter.  You have your chance to get involved by voting out of office idiots like Tony Petelos and replace them with more regionally minded officials that wants to see a united Birmingham.

Now I'm not giving Cooper a pass because he decided to purchase the $12,000 Rolex watch that Langford had received as a "gift", but quickly sold it.  Also Cooper is very buddy, buddy with a number of individuals in the business community that makes me give him the side-eye.  However, at least he would have been somebody that attempted to bridge the racial and ideological divide that has persisted in the city for decades.  The man tries to reach across the table to those other elected officials of the suburban and exurban municipal governments since we all need one another for Greater Birmingham or simply Birmingham to get somewhere.

Now if those officials don't want to work cohesively with the Birmingham mayor then call them out (like Obama said with health care reform) and show them how idiotic and shortsighted their stance to not work together.

OH YEAH, the swap by local NBC affiliate, WVTM "NBC 13", reporter John Paepcke is a textbook example of what I call the media bias of the area's media outlets.  That EXTRA garbage he thought was poignant just shows why I don't care for any of the area's media because too many want to be funny and push their agenda instead of being non-bias, objective journalists.

Larry Langford has been convicted of all 60 counts

The jury in Tuscaloosa ruled that after only 2 hours that Larry Langford was found guilty of all 60 counts against him.  Here's the list of the counts:

Count 1 Bribery Langford received $69,000 in cash from lobbyist Al LaPierre and Bill Blount of Blount Parrish & Co. that went into Langford's personal bank account.
Count 3 Money laundering Langford paid Likis Audio $12,000 for audio equipment with a check drawn from his personal Compass bank account into which money from a bribe had been deposited
Count 4 Money laundering Langford paid Shaia's $12,000 for clothing with a cashier's check purchased at a Compass Bank using funds paid to him as a bribe.
Count 5 Money laundering Langford deposited $40,589 paid to him as a bribe into his personal account at Compass Bank.
Count 6 Conspiracy Langford, investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre willfully conspired on multiple occasions to defraud Jefferson County of Langford's honest services when Blount and LaPierre gave Langford money, clothes and jewelry to influence him as a public official.

Count 7 Bribery Langford solicited and received $30,000 from Blount funneled through LaPierre.

Count 9 Money laundering Langford used $29,241 of the $30,000 to pay his personal taxes.
Count 10 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted a $1,110 cashmere cardigan purchased at Turnbull & Asser.

Count 11 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $3,290 in clothes purchased at Ermenegildo Zegna

Count 12 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $2,133 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 13 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $2,707.56 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 14 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted a $2,796 in clothes purchased at Salvatore Ferragamo

Count 15 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted a $1,854.96 in clothes purchased at Century 21

Count 16 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $3,450 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 17 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $4,050 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 18 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $4,250 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 19 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $895 in clothes purchased at Salvatore Ferragamo

Count 20 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted a $12,015 watch purchased at Tourneau

Count 21 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $1,662.60 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 22 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $11,750.40 in jewelry purchased at Bromberg's

Count 23 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $2,239.97 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 24 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $2,800 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 25 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $3,547 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 26 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $2,000 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 27 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $5,000 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 28 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $2,500 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 29 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $2,300 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 30 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $1,800 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 31 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $1,876 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 32 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $1,000 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 33 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $1,047.96 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 34 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $1,500 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 35 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $1,000 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 36 Bribery Langford corruptly accepted $7,536 in clothes purchased at Remon's

Count 64 Mail fraud Langford corruptly caused a package from Turnbull & Asser to be shipped to Langford's County Commission office.

Count 65 Mail fraud Langford corruptly caused a package from Ermengildo Zegna to be shipped to Langford's County Commission office.

Count 66 Mail fraud Langford corruptly caused a package from Salvatore Ferragamo to be shipped to Langford's County Commission office.

Count 67 Mail fraud Langford corruptly caused a package from Century 21 to be shipped to Langford's County Commission office.

Count 68 Mail fraud Langford corruptly caused a package from Tourneau to be shipped to Langford's County Commission office.

Count 69 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $2,133 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 70 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $4,050 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 71 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $11.750.40 in goods from Bromberg's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 72 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $3,547 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 73 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $2,000 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 74 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $2,500 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 75 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $2,300 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 76 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $1,876 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 77 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $1,000 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 78 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $1,047.96 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 79 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $1,500 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 80 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $7,536 in goods from Remon's paid for with Blount's credit card.

Count 81 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $2,707.56 in goods from Remon's paid for with LaPierre's credit card.

Count 82 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $4,250 in goods from Remon's paid for with LaPierre's credit card.

Count 83 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $1,662.60 in goods from Remon's paid for with LaPierre's credit card.

Count 85 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $5,000 in goods from Remon's paid for with LaPierre's credit card

Count 86 Wire fraud Langford corruptly accepted $1,000 in goods from Remon's paid for with LaPierre's credit card

Count 87 Filing a false tax return Langford failed to report as 2003 income $125, 356.73 he received from Blount and LaPierre.

Count 88 Filing a false tax return Langford failed to report as 2004 income $81,419. 52 he received from Blount and LaPierre.

Count 89 Filing a false tax return Langford filed to report as 2005 income $22,186.97 he received from Blount and LaPierre.

Count 99 Forfeiture Any of the property or proceeds from the crimes and any additional gains made from the proceeds are subject to forfeiture. The amount of the property subject to forfeiture includes, but is not necessarily limited to, $7.6 million and any interest and proceeds agains or earned on that amount.

He's now removed from the office of mayor of the City of Birmingham, and current City Council President Carole Smitherman is now interim mayor until another council president is elected on November 24.  Also in all likelihood she won't be interim mayor afterwards because she can't be reelected council president from the helm of mayor, but that's another post...

Update on the Langford Trial

Well, I was alert of what was going on although I've been under the weather with a sinus infection, but anyways.Yesterday, was a busy day for the prosecution with key witness and former co-defendant taking the stand. 

Wednesday morning was spent on former Jefferson County Finance Director and current Birmingham Finance Director, Steve Sayler, continuing his testimony on the stand about allegations created by federal prosecution that Langford "paid for play".  He says Blount's firm was added to bond work at the request of then Commission President Larry Langford. Sayler testifies Langford and the commission traveled to New York prior to those deals.  The prosecution guided jurors through complicated, often tedious, county bond swaps. The direct line of questioning came with repeated objections from the defense that were often sustained. Sayler has talked about many of those bond deals with banks that employed Blount's firm as a consultant were cut into deals without public knowledge.  During cross-examination, Langford defense attorney, Mike Rasmussen, questioned Sayler on sewer bond rates and what would have happened if Langford had not done anything. Sayler also told the court that fees on the bond deals did not come out of county funds. 

Also Terri Hatcher, Langford's longtime assistant from the days of him being mayor of Fairfield (a suburb of Birmingham) testified before the jury in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday.  She talked about how she had set up at least 4 trips annually to New York for Langford to travel with Blount and LaPierre to take care of business associated with the bond swaps with J.P. Morgan Chase.  Hatcher did discuss on the stand the one travel advance for a three-day New York trip included $900 for lodging, $700 for travel and $160 a day for expenses.  However, she didn't really deliver anything profound other than the number of trips he made while he was commissioner. 

Other witnesses that testified included James Lister, a financial analyst of Lehman Brothers, who testified about his conversations with Blount about Jefferson County's finances. Lister said he talked to Blount because, "he believed Blount had a relationship with Jefferson County." Lister said Blount told him Langford "controlled three votes on the county commission" and suggested Lister should visit Birmingham to see the Jefferson County folks.  Also Robert Taylor of Lehman Brothers testified saying he engineered the interest rate swaps with Jefferson County. Taylor said he came to Birmingham to meet with Langford, but said Langford became frustrated with him because he wouldn't do business with a middle man because of disclosure.  Taylor said he met with Sayler a week later and in October of that year they did a deal, which included $35,000 in payments to Blount.  Paolo Farina from Salvatore Ferragamo clothiers of New York City confirmed receipts for purchases for Langford and former Jefferson County Commissioner Mary Buckelew, including a $2,000 leather jacket and two pair of shoes for Langford. Farina said the purchases were sent to the commissioners at their Jefferson County courthouse office and were paid for by Blount.  The jury was also read the contents of a letter from J.P. Morgan Chase requested by Langford himself to pay Blount's investment firm $2.6 million.


The most pivotal portion of Wednesday was the testimony on the stand of William Blount, the Montgomery investment banker and former co-defendant.  Blount recounts selling bonds and buying a variety of things for Langford.  Blount tesified that they have known one another for 30 years and handled the majority of the bond deal in every public office Langford has held since the day of him being mayor of Fairfield.  He also told the jury about the letters that Langford recieved about the bond swaps that was bypassed fellow commissioners, finance director, and the public.

More to come as the reports of testimony Thursday come...

Opening statements of the Langford federal corruption trial

Well, Monday was the day of jury selection for the trial in Tuscaloosa at its federal court building.  (The trial was moved to Tuscaloosa after Langford's defense team requested its change-of-venue from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa due it being so high-profile.  However, Tuscaloosa is STILL in the Birmingham television market, so his team aren't too bright because they know who he is just like those in Birmingham.)  

U.S. District Judge Scott Coogler, prosecutors and defense lawyers questioned a jury pool drawn from a 10-county area in western Alabama surrounding Tuscaloosa (3 white males, 8 white females, 1 black male, 3 black females).  By Monday afternoon, the final jury selection was made along with a list of potential high-profile witnesses that maybe called to the stand to testify during the trial.
Jefferson County Commission President Bettye Fine Collins, Commissioner Shelia Smoot, and former county commissioners Gary White and Mary Buckelew.

Bill Blount and Al LaPierre, they were Langford's co-defendants, but have pleaded guilty and are expected to testify against Langford.

Charles Lecroy, Jefferson County's bond "idea guy" also surfaced, but was convicted in Philadelphia federal court on a pay-for-play scheme.
Terri Hatcher, Langford's longtime assistant while he was commissioner at Jefferson County.

Deborah Vance-Bowie, Langford's current chief-of-staff for his mayoral administration.

April Odom, an executive assistant of Langford in Birmingham City Hall.

Also word is that Alabama Power CEO and Langford's friend, Charles McCrary, is among those possible witnesses as well.

TODAY:
This morning the opening statements of Birmingham mayor Larry Langford's federal corruption and bribery trial began this morning.  Federal prosecutor George Martin describing Langford as "a wheeling, dealing politician" who was deceitful and enriched himself by taking bribes while as Jefferson County Commission President.  The prosecution didn't hold back as they have delineated Langford is the most negative light quite possibly considered with the intent of bribery and getting rich off taxpayers backs to the jury.  Prosecution painted the "clothes, watches, and other gifts were not loans." 

However, Langford's defense team was allowed by U.S. District Judge Scott Coogler to use a Birmingham News editorial cartoon as an exhibit. HUH? 

Langford's defense team describes this as "an attempt by (former defendant) Bill Blount to stabbed Langford in the back and schemed to entrap and manipulate Langford" and "he likes nice things and he was a big idea person who left details to others."  Langford's defense attorney Michael Rasmussen also exclaims that Langford is a "shopaholic" (I guess so considering he racked up nealy $236,000 worth of things).  Rasmussen said "Blount's guilty plea is not evidence of Langford's guilt".

However, federal prosecution pointed this out. Martin detailed several trips to New York City, where Langford would take Blount shopping.  Langford would pick out what he wanted and Blount would pay for it with his American Express card.  Also Martin described one instance where Blount purchased a $12,000 Rolex for Langford. 

Blount's former girlfriend was one of the two now-defunct Colonial Bank loan officers to testified about a $50,000 loan for Langford.  Yvette Campbell and Karyn Cope Hughes both were on the stand today discussing the details of the loan Blount issued to Langford.  Hughes was dating Blount at the time of the issuance of the loan.  Campbell said that lobbyist Al LaPierre later came in the branch to take out a $50,000 loan.  Hughes testified that she informed Campbell that the LaPierre would pay off Langford's loan with his loan.

Finally, Birmingham downtown clothier Remon Danforah testified this afternoon that Langford was a regular at his men's clothing store.   Danforah said the first time Langford visited Bill Blount and Al LaPierre were with him.  He informed the jury that Langford's bill got as high as $14,000 and finally pointed out that LaPierre and Blount paid off Langford bills for clothes and other items.  However, Rasmussen counterargued that Danforah "double billed" Langford. 

Current Birmingham Finance Director and former Jefferson County Finance Director Steve Saylers was on the stand before the trial wrapped today about the bond swaps.  However, Judge Coogler called it a day while Saylers was on the stand. 

If Langford is convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum of 804 years in prison and removal from helm as Birmingham mayor.

ALSO: Michael Rasmussen is a public appointed attorney after Langford said back in July that he couldn't afford his own defense council.  However, this is after Langford won nearly $55,000 in winnings at 2 different gambling facilities in Greene and Macon counties, Alabama.  This is a mess...

Let's be a little objective about the whole Langford federal trial and its coverage...

OK, it's time for another objective analysis of the situation involving Birmingham and some portions of its media convicting Birmingham mayor's Langford before the trial has even began.  After reading the so-called analysis of the "Life and Times of Larry Langford" by Birmingham Weekly editor and staff reporter, Kyle Whitmire.  Honestly, it left more of a bad taste in my mouth towards Whitmire more than Langford because he seems to lack the ability to do his job as a reporter objectively give a non-bias perspective of the story.

The line that clearly shows the bias in my opinion was this one:  "A series of scandals seemed to prove suburban suspicions about black control of government."  Uh, excuse me Mr. Whitmire, but the mayor of Trussville has been giving more paying the Trussville school district superintendent than the most supertintendents across the state has been receiving for districts nearly twice its size.  However, he is cutting back on everything else in the city's services?  Yeah, you should never write a line such in any publication (unless it is strictly funded by somebody or an organization with an agenda) because white suburban people elect corrupt white politicians that control government making non-whites suspicious of them as well...

I DIGRESS:

I've personally known Langford's corrupt self since I was a child because my paternal grandmother was in the same social circle as Langford's wife, Melva.  Personally, I can't stand Langford as a politician because of the foolishness he peddled during the 2008 Central Alabama Pride controversy, and truly wished Patrick Cooper or even Carole Smitherman had won the mayoral election then.   However, he deserves a non-bias perspective on this trial.  That's the least Birmingham media could do on this rather than convicting the man before the trial has begin in the eyes of the public.  

I just wish the media outlets in this region would be more objective and fair along with stop being so damn racially bias at times.  At times they seem to ignore the corruption of Hoover, Trussville, etc. which are both cities with majority white populous, but always looking at the corruption of Birmingham which is "black power structure".  You should be fair and non-racialized in reporting, and nobody aside from the now-defunct Birmingham Post-Herald did that on the controversy and corruption.  There seems to be a message of catharsis of "let's makes sure all the black politicians that aren't on our side or handpicked by us are out of office".

I'm not down with that underhanded crap at all no matter how egalitarian or socially progressive I am personally.  There are some good, socially progressive and accountable,  black politicians in this region that are ignored or overlooked because of the ignorant, controversial, an corrupt ones.

After thinking about this crap it remains me why so few people without agendas doesn't get involved in civil activities in Birmingham because the obvious divides that exist in this region along racial, partisan, and geographical lines.  We are one city with 1.2 million inhabitants, but act as if we are 30+ municipal governments that have their own agendas and goals regardless of how it will affect this region.  Those who doesn't want to be told "choose a side" in the conflicts simply avoid the fray of foolishness. 

It ain't nothing', but the Devil...

Frank Matthews, the co-director of the Mayor's Office of Citizens Assistance and a community activist, is planning a prayer vigil in Linn Park for Birmingham mayor Larry Langford this Sunday for the federal corruption and bribery trial in Tuscaloosa starting Monday.  Also members of the Birmingham chapter of the SCLC and NAACP will be assisting in the vigil.  He's also planning a caravan of supporters for Monday from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa for the trial and the plans will be finalized Sunday evening.  Langford's trial is on some 60 counts of bribery, tax evasion, and corruption while he was still Jefferson County Commissioner. 

Frank Matthew is a racebaiter and controversial.  He was the one of Langford's main supporters for his 2007 mayoral campaign in which he called runner-up Patrick Cooper a "honky" although Cooper is biracial.  Matthews was appointed by Langford to the Office of Community Assistance as co-director while the long-time director Don Lupo was basically pushed aside to be co-director with Matthews.  Matthews hosts a radio show on a local AM radio station where he gained notoriety for his opinions and views as a community activist (which are mostly backwards and borderline racist). 

It's ain't nothing' but the devil.  He is another faux Christian that says he follows in the word, but uses his position for more destruction than good.  I refused to have any involvement in this foolishness and destructive behavior enabling those who think keeping somebody that is symbol of what is wrong with society still in power.  It is embarrassing that members Birmingham chapters of the NAACP and SCLC are contributing to this foolishness, but was silent as church mice when Langford was standing in the way of socially progressive events like the Central Alabama Pride.  Langford and Matthews represents what is wrong with Birmingham and a number of black folks in the area.  I blame the leadership of either chapter giving the organizations a bad name and that's where the blame lies, but you know some people don't want to hear that at all.  However, that's the truth.

You gotta step up your A-game,  NAACP and SCLC Birmingham chapters because Presidents of other chapters are aiding in progress, but you guys are just there.  You're not helping your organizations by cosigning on bullcrap because "just because he's your skin folk doesn't make Langford your kinfolk".

UPDATE: Only 25 people showed up to the "prayer vigil" for the Mayor with SCLC Birmingham chapter President Calvin Woods screaming at the top of his lungs into a mega horn while praying for an acquittal.

The lead architectural and design team has been revealed for the expansion at the BJCC has

Populous, formerly known as HOK, is the lead firm working on the expansion of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Convention Center (BJCC) which includes an $540 million multipurpose facility, announced their design team on the project.  The team includes a number of local black-owned design, contracting, and engineering firms including:

Designers

>> Charles Williams & Associates
>> Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds
>> Dorsey Architects & Associates
>> Formworks Architects
>> Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio
>> Hoskins Architecture
>> Margret D. Jones Interiors
>> NHB Group
>> TRI Architecture
>> Williams-Blackstock Architects

Engineers, consultants
>> Auditoria
>> BBG&S Engineering Consultants
>> BNI Structural Engineers
>> Code Consultants Inc.
>> CRS Engineering Inc.
>> Henderson Engineers
>> Hyde Engineering
>> Jackson Renfro and Associates
>> LBYD Civil and Structural Engineers
>> Lerch Bates
>> Macknally Ross Land Design
>> Saber Company
>> Schoel Consulting Engineers
>> MBA Structural Engineers
>> MW/Davis and Dumas & Associates
>> Robert A. Johnson & Associates
>> RWDI
>> S2O Consultants Inc.
>> TALA Professional Services
>> WJHW Audiovisual

Alabama State Representative Mary Moore (D-Birmingham) said that she is satisfied with the 30% participation of minority firms in the project after giving the BJCC massive criticism for their lack of minority businesses involved in the inital plans of the project. 

The cost breakdown of the project is that Populous and 8 other national firms will handle 50 percent of the work, with the remaining half done by local firms, he said. The architects will split a fee amounting to about 8 percent of the $400 million cost of building the facility itself.

Also Birmingham mayor Larry Langford released a "progress report" saying all the things he's done while in office for the past 2 years.  Including the paving of downtwon streets, jumpstarting the expansion at the BJCC, the Fair Park project, neighborhood clean-ups, demolition of abandoned buildings, and the enforcement of penalties against absentee landowners of overgrown lots, etc. 

In other words, he's trying to cover his ass on the eve of his federal corruption and tax evasion trial in at the federal court house in Tuscaloosa. 

Nice progress and it's good to see this is moving forward.  I'm looking forward to this project coming together.  It would major accomplishment for Birmingham to finally have a major and modern convention and event facility that can handle major events.  I just wish the stupid ass Birmingham News stop calling the project a "dome" when it doesn't even have a domed-roof.  They need to stop appeasing the lowest commond denominator of "CAVE" dwellers, Citizens Against Virtually Everything.  That was quoted by Langford and I'm going to use it. 

One poster on the al.com site summed it up best:

Funny about you saying how the Silverdome was built 35 miles outside the city center. No offense, but if this dome just happened to be located in, say, Hoover, then you wouldn't hear but a third of the criticism given period.


It seems as though some people have a vested interest in seeing the Magic City fail. They criticize and dogpile on Birmingham from the comfort of their homes over-the-mountain and outside the county. These are the same people who should really stick to talking about what they know -- the Alabama and Auburn scores.

And there it is.

Hmmm.... I think Shelia Tyson should win the Birmingham City Council District 6 run-off

Well, after reading the Birmingham News article in today's paper talking about the future of the helm of mayor is pending upon the run-offs.  For starters, Mayor Larry Langford is pretty much going to get convicted willing some catastrophic screw-up were to occur in the federal prosecutions case.  Now the District 6 race is heated for sure because 1) current Council woman Carole Smitherman is also City Council President, 2) when Mayor Langford is convicted he will be removed from office and the Council President would become interim mayor, and 3) this could set the playing field for the next mayoral election which will likely occur 45 days after the interim mayor been in office. 

Now after reading the article saying how former Birmingham mayor Richard Arrington has endorsed Shelia Tyson, I gave her the side-eye for his endorsement.  Tyson is current West End Neighborhood Association President and President of the Community Neighborhood Associations of Birmingham along with former campaign manager of 2007 mayoral candidate Patrick Cooper.  However, Tyson seems to not even acknowledge Arrington in her responses to the newspaper.  On the other hand, Tyson does respond direct t to Smitherman's attempt to call her "Patrick Cooper and the over-the-mountain elite's puppet" by saying that "Smitherman is trying to run for mayor via this race". 

Tyson has been endorsed by current Alabama House Delegate John Rogers.  He is also a distant cousin of Shelia Tyson as well.  That's not what I care about rather the accusation that a Smitherman supporter told Tyson to run against Rogers for re-election.  Normally, I don't take any sides on these things, but that is really BOLD of the Smitherman campaign to do some mess like that.  I'm one of those people that thinks Rogers is a joke, but I'm more aggravated by the attempt by the Smitherman campaign to tell somebody to go for the "easier route" instead of "messing up" Councilwoman Smitherman's path to being mayor (for awhile).  Sorry, I just don't cosign on bull***t and that is bull***t.  Smitherman has ran for mayor 3 times already and lost every single time, so I mean REALLY Councilwoman Smitherman.

I do know somebody personally that has been lobbying for Smitherman to become mayor now, but IMO, Tyson should win on principal.  Honestly, I would much rather Cooper be mayor than Smitherman or Arrington.  Sometimes it better to shake up things a little and see what happens because at the end of the day, we all know who got more votes between Smitherman and Cooper.  Arrington doesn't stand a chance in hell of winning because all his endorsements the first go-around with the council races where rejected and they all lost.  To sum it up, Smitherman has done nothing by using any of her leverage since her husband is State Senator to get anything major accomplished from the state level or the local level.  When was the last time Smitherman has tried to propose on her own something progressive or substantial to fix Birmingham? Also when was the last time that Smitherman has tried to work to form any time of coalition with the more socially progressive young professional voters (both black and white) in the city or a candidate or official that stands for that effort?  Last time I remember, not once.

Time for someone new and out with the old and the same-ol', same-ol'. 

We have enough issues with political dynasties around here and this one with some many old heads gots to go..

A little late, my take on the settlement of the suit involving Langford and Central Alabama Pride

The lawsuit dubbed as "Langford v. Central Alabama Pride" has been resolved with the organization receiving a guarantee from the City of Birmingham that there wouldn't be any further interference in the preparation of Central Alabama Pride Week festivities and $40,000 in legal fees.  This suit comes from Mayor Langford's revocation the parade permit and allowing city workers to place rainbow flags and other decorations for the annual pride parade thrown every June on the Southside.  However, Langford allowed decorations for the national conference for the black fraternity Omega Psi Pi and the Magic City Classic parade in downtown. 

Well, Langford should have known better not to push his views on the city when he knows you can't do that stuff.  However, he is the same mayor who has called for a prayer rally in a public facility on taxpayers' dollars.  So he has that "do as I say, but don't do as I do" mindset which has cost the city $40K when it could have just shut up and kept it moving.  I mean he is friends with out-of-the-closet homosexual John Katapodis so what's the real deal?   

Well, It looks like there will be 3 incumbents are safe with 5 run-offs on their way

Well, its safe to say Valerie Abbott, Maxine Parker, and Steven Hoyt are here to stay.  I don't really have much of an opinion about these three because Hoyt and Parker are screwface worthy because of their past involvement in blocking the anti-discrimination ordinance back in 2007.  Whereas Valerie Abbott wasted everybody time back in 2007 trying to run for mayor when she knew good and well she didn't stand a chance in hell of getting elected which IMHO costed Patrick Cooper, who I rathered seen elected as mayor (even over Smitherman), to lose a number of votes against Larry Langford.  She is OK, but she still gets the screwface and side-eye regardless.

Now on to the run-offs, well Shelia Tyson has gave Carole Smitherman, current City Council President and Mayor Pro-Tem, a run for her money in the District 6 race.  Shelia Tyson is Patrick Cooper's former mayoral campaign manager, and City Neighborhood Association (CNA) president along with Neighborhood President of West End.  Interesting to say the least because Smitherman want to get back in so she can take the helm of mayor (when not if) Larry Langford is forced out of office for his federal conviction.  If she doesn't get reelected then it is likely Valarie Abbott will become Council President and mayor down the line (for the 45 days until a special election is held).  I'm like this is going to be INTERESTING because Smitherman seems to have a problem these days because she is a nice person (I've met her), but she doesn't really have much of what I call "leadership traits".  She better come to realization that this could be the end of her time on the City Council because it was 43% (Smitherman) to 39% (Tyson), and that's mighty close. 

The rest well, it is a given that Roderick Royal's whiny butt will get back in District 9, Carol Reynolds Duncan will likely lose to Kim Raffety in District 2, Johnathan Austin will have to battle former councilman Elias Hendricks in District 5, and Jay Robertson will battle his runner up in the election of District 7 replacing the late Miriam Witherspoon.

LaShunda Scales was the only outright newcomer to win her election in District 1 against incumbent Joel Montgomery.  I guess his alcoholic fall from grace in 2007 costed him his seat along with being in the pocket of Mayor Langford on the city bingo ordinance.  The people have spoken and apparently nobody is stutting the New Jefferson County Citizens Coalition or Mayor Langford's endorsements.  LOL

Well, at least he's getting a new venue

Mayor Larry Langford did get his confirmation from Judge Scott Coogler granted the 'change of venue' for his federal trial on 64 of the 101 counts including money laundering and tax fraud from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa on October 19. His claims including more time to rehabilitate from his recent surgery on his throat and mouth and more time for his legal team to prepare in light of co-defendants Al LaPierre and William Blount pleading guilty. He also throw around that the Birmingham media was another cause, but Tuscaloosa is still in the same DMA (demographic market area) as Birmingham.

However, he was out and about in Titusville at the announcement of the construction of 26 new single-family homes. He did make an appears to be alright, so why is he out and about trying to be seen when he claimed to need time to recoup?

Mayor Langford is crazy if you ask me because I would be doing what I claim I need to do that is rest....