Jesse Jackson Attends Rally in Montgomery in Support of Gambling in Alabama

As 200 marchers sang "We Shall Overcome" Jesse Jackson compared the raiding of state bingo casinos to the worst times in Alabama, when troops were ordered to prevent integration in Selma in 1965. Comparing Governor Riley to other governors in Alabama's past who were challenged to enact laws fairly and justly for he said "We've always had to fight some Governor who tried to take the law into his owns hands. We demand jobs and justice and voting rights". Mr. Jackson claimed that 5000 jobs are being lost statewide as a result of the Governor and his Task Force. (See previous article regarding the voting down of Sweet Home Alabama www.associatedcontent.com/article/2763860/sweet_home_alabama_bill_gets_killed.html)

Al Sharpton had been expected but had notified organizers that he would not be attending.

This week the Alabama legislature declined to pass approval for state residents to vote on a constitutional amendment to permit e-bingo in 10 venues across the state claiming that the law pandered to special interests and prevented fair competition for the licensing of such businesses.

Victoryland, the states' largest bingo casino located in Shorter Alabama, reopened in Friday after a judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Governor's Task Force from taking action against any bingo operation in the state. Task Force commander John Tyson said he would ask the Supreme Court for an emergency stay. Claiming it cripples law enforcement in its service to the public.

Former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was sentence on Friday to 15 years in prison on 60 counts of wrongdoing including bribery, money laundering and conspiracy. The charges relate to his time on the Jefferson County Commission. Not included in the sentence was the allegation that Mr. Langford hit 555 jackpots at Victoryland and Greenetrack worth more than $1.5 million dollars. Milton McGregor, the owner of Victoryland said that was not unusual for a person who played as often as Mr. Langford.

Governor Riley attended a Baldwin County Republican picnic on Saturday and was not in Montgomery during the rallies. Speaking to reporters he insisted that the media was focusing too much attention on the e-bingo issue.

Information for this article was gleaned from the Mobile Press Register March 6^th and 7^th 2010.