Feds unseal 101-count indictment charging Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford

[Stuckinthebush]

Source: Birmingham News

Feds unseal 101-count indictment charging Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, William Blount and Al LaPierre

101-count federal indictment unsealed today charges Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, Montgomery investment banker William Blount, Blount Parrish and Co. and longtime Langford friend Al LaPierre with bribery in connection with Jefferson County bond transactions and swap agreements.

{snip}

Federal officials said Langford accepted about $69,000 from Blount, Blount Parrish and LaPierre. The money was intended to influence and reward Langford in connection with the bond transactions, the indictment said.

Langford was arrested this morning and is in a holding cell at the federal courthouse in Birmingham


Read more: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/12/feds_unseal_101count_indictmen.html

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I believe Langford is a Dem

[Bolo Boffin]

1. Blount isn't, though

Wow.

[bamacrat]

2. Langford is kinda crazy though.

He said that he wants to get the 2020 Olympics in Birmingham. He also seems to think Birmingham has enough money for a new dome stadium/convention center. Jefferson county of which Birmingham is the major city is almost bankrupt. The city has not seen financial or domestic growth in years. Sad that he is a dem, but this state needs people to help it not make moeny off it.

[Stuckinthebush]

3. Bham is in trouble

Until there is better leadership the city will continue to stagnate. It is sad about Larry, but he is a nut.

[McCamy Taylor]

4. This is more DOJ bullshit. Is the mayor Black? The DOJ loves to go after Black Dems.

:nuke:

[Stuckinthebush]

5. No, this is legit

Langford is a doofus.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

6. I believe Langford is a Dem

So was Lierberman and Miller. Putting a D next to your name does not guarantee that you are not a lying sack of shit.

[Stuckinthebush]

8. That's true

Langford is a piece of work!

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Last time the feds prosecuted bribery in Alabama, it was Don Siegelman

For federal prosecutions in Alabama, innocent until proven guilty is an understatement.

[chaplainM]

9. I guess the sackcloth and ashes didn't work

http://bhamweekly.com/article.php?article_id=00743

[Stuckinthebush]

10. HA!

:ROFL:

Indeed!

[alfredo]

12. Damn, I was going to use those ashes to make soap.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. I admit I had same first response to DOJ picking on "our" dems....until I found this.

Unfortunately, here are sources of ugly facts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Langford

http://www.bhamwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Larry_Langford
Yes...Birmingham has its own wiki....coool.

and the fact Langford has been arrested and bailed out on these charges some time ago while the investigation went on:
http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/SEC_investigation_into_Jefferson_County_bond_swaps
***bond swaps*** getting the picture here....

and, as one reader of a local B'ham blog pointed out:

"A Grand Jury does not ’t return a 101 Count Indictment without some very, very compelling evidence. We are all innocent until proven guilty…however, answering 101 charges is an overwhelming challenge for Langford’s attorney.
Looks like we have our own Senator Ted Stevens."

I also researched Langford's buddies, there is a line of them leading to the casinos, the Pres. of Colonial Bank, and William Blount, head of a law firm with much experience in "re-structuring debt".

Now, there is always the possibility the SEC and DOJ will fubar this up, as they have in the past, or that they do not have time to run with the ball this late in the term..
however, Birmingham and Jefferson County ARE in bankruptcy over this and other fall out from the funny money products of our time.