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Robert Renfroe "Bob" Riley
Former US Rep for the Third Congressional District and Governor of
Alabama
A little-known document shows that McCain may have taken
steps to protect his Republican colleagues from the scope of his
investigation.
In the 2006 Senate report concerning Abramoff's activities,
which McCain spearheaded, the Arizona Republican
conspicuously left out information detailing how Alabama Gov.
Bob Riley [benefited from] Abramoff's influence peddling
scheme. Riley, a Republican, won election in November 2002,
and was reelected in 2006.
In a December 2002 email .... which McCain and his staff had
access to prior to the issuance of his report -- Abramoff explains
to an aide what he would like to see Riley do in return for the
"help" he received from Abramoff's tribal clients.
An official with the Mississippi Choctaws "definitely wants Riley to
shut down the Poarch Creek operation," Abramoff wrote,
"including his announcing that anyone caught gambling there
can't qualify for a state contract or something like that."
The note showed not only the reach of Abramoff, but raised
questions about Riley's victory in what was the closest
gubernatorial election in Alabama history.
Indeed, as the Associated Press noted in 2006, McCain stayed
deliberately agnostic as to Riley's involvement.
As for the governor's opposition to gambling, Riley's press
secretary said he has "consistently [opposed gambling] before
he decided to run for governor and since. Anyone who would
suggest his long-standing opposition to gambling is tied to
anything other than personal conviction would be mistaken."
[6]
- Robert Renfroe "Bob" Riley (born October 3, 1944) is the
current Governor of Alabama, first elected in 2002, and re-
elected during the 2006 mid-term election.
- Riley was born in Ashland, Alabama, where his family ranched
and farmed for six generations. Riley attended the University of
Alabama, graduating with a degree in business administration.
Riley is married to Patsy Adams Riley, also from Ashland. The
couple have three children and seven grandchildren.
Riley served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996 to
2003.
The Riley's were proud of their rapport with Karl Rove at the
time that he decided to run for Governor of Alabama. In fact,
Rove is responsible for a gubernatorial make-over. Rove was
the man who stressed to Riley the value of his Reagan-esque
appearance. Riley began to wear $3,000 crocodile boots and be
photographed riding a horse. (Before the make-over, Riley used
to wear hushpuppies and pennyloafers.)[4]
- Riley ran for Governor of Alabama in 2002 and defeated the
Democratic incumbent, Don Siegelman, by the narrowest margin
in Alabama history. A voting machine "malfunction" showed
Siegelman winning the election, but the after-midnight altered
totals of the votes cast in Baldwin County gave Riley the victory.
In November 2005, Riley was linked to the Jack Abramoff
scandal when his former Congressional press secretary, Michael
Scanlon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the matter. It further
emerged that, as a Congressman, Riley signed a letter on
behalf of the U.S. Family Network, opposing expansion of casino
gambling in Alabama.[2] The U.S. Family Network was revealed
to be an Abramoff front, funded by the Mississippi Band of
Choctaw Indians, which operated competing casinos.[1]
- Recently, a congressional hearing on "Allegations of Selective
Prosecution" included testimony in its research that named Rob
Riley, Bob Riley's son, as a co-conspirator in an effort to use the
judiciary to defeat Siegelman. The investigation is on going. [5]
- [1] Wikipedia
[2] Washington Post 2005/12/31: The DeLay Abramoff Money Trail
<link>
[3] San Fransisco Chronicle 2006/01/04: Abramoff's Web of Corruption
<link>
[4] Harper's 2007/10/27
<link>
[5] Judiciary Committee Hearing on Allegations of Selective Prosecution
<link>
[6] Huffington Post: McCain withheld controversial email <link>
| __________________________________________________________________________________________ Sponsored by Friends of Don Siegelman 2007 <feedback>________________________________________________________________________________ __________ |
GOP OPERATIVES
ALA GOV BOB RILEY
ALA GOV BOB RILEY
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| photo: ALA GOV Governor Bob Riley Governor Riley ran on an anti-gambling and anti-corruption platform against Siegelman in 2002. Questions are now being raised about his integrity in these areas. <more>. |
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